New Haven
by Ruairi1995
Summary: Harry, adopted by Dr. Janet Fraiser, joins the Atlantis expedition. Magic, Ancient technology, exploring dozens of new worlds... what could possibly go wrong? Only the awakening of a super-powerful race of life-sucking aliens can ruin his good time now. For continuity, the year is 1990 when Harry is born and SG-1 created. Includes all five canon SGA seasons and more.
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

Silently, the wind whispered across the cold, black sky, accompanied by the dimly lit Moon trekking between the stars above. The world was quiet, halting in its cycle to watch the fate of one. But not just anyone. Oh, no. This one could shape the future of the Earth herself, if he followed the correct path. But if he didn't… he could destroy her utterly, and she would die screaming, bathed in flames and poisonous ashes.

At one with this serenity, another stepped forward. The world seemed to breathe a sigh of relief when she saw him, for he was a calming man. One that could be trusted. One who was wise and almightily powerful, seemingly entwined with nature itself. His shorter companion struggled to keep pace.

"Are you sure this is the right place?" Fudge asked breathlessly. He heaved and puffed, not used to such consistent activity. That was a thing for Muggles. They had walked for almost a mile, Dumbledore saying it was much too dangerous to apparate directly. Their presence could be tracked, he had observed sharply, and that was a risk they could not take tonight.

"My dear Cornelius, of course I am sure," Dumbledore smiled. He was quite enjoying this light stroll in the night, when the world was so quiet and one could truly appreciate its beauty, and breathe the intoxicating aroma that was nature. He cradled the boy in his arms carefully, letting him sleep soundly. In truth, his heart lurched with sorrow when he saw him and thought of the past few hours, but that was grief for the coming days. Now it was the task at hand which mattered.

Fudge spluttered: "well then, where the heck are they? Blasted Muggles are late, as per usual…" he muttered unhappily. He anxiously twirled his bowler hat between his fingers, watching the shadows between the trees, fearful they might leap out at him suddenly. 'No wands' had been the agreement, a decision he had regretted an instant after agreeing to. These people were dangerous. Of that there was no doubt.

Fudge's reply came in the form of a rustle from ahead. He started and flinched slightly, whilst Dumbledore merely waited calmly. A man walked out from beneath the trees, joining them in the clearing, He smiled and looked around.

"Nice day, huh?" he asked.

Fudge stared at him, not comprehending his meaning. It was night-time! Surely he could see that, so why make such a ridiculous remark?

Dumbledore smiled in response, his eyes twinkling in the starlight. The man before them was one of the soldiers, of about average height, with shortly trimmed dark hair. He had a partially weather-beaten face, as though he had seen his fair share of combat, but his smile was genuine. He appeared friendly enough, despite the fact he was a Muggle soldier, Fudge thought. At least he wasn't carrying one of those blasted Muggle weapons; 'metal wands', or whatever they were called.

"Colonel O'Neill," Dumbledore began, "I trust you have sufficient blankets for the boy? From what I understand, helicopter journeys can be quite chilly."

"Of course I do," O'Neill replied, almost sounding offended by the question. "I know how to deal with kids."

Fudge cleared his throat. Both other men looked at him, and O'Neill raised his eyebrows. "So, do we assume you've taken many infants on those flying contraptions, then?"

The colonel stared at him, expression blank.

"No. Anyway," he said, turning back to Dumbledore as Fudge spluttered slightly, "what's the kid's name? General Hammond never told me."

"Harry," Dumbledore replied lowly. "Harry Potter." He held out his arms to O'Neill.

"Well, Harry, welcome to the Stargate programme," he said jokingly, accepting the boy from Dumbledore.

"You are aware of our clauses?" Fudge asked sharply, before deciding to prattle on anyway. "In exchange for taking care of the boy, we are to negotiate the exchange of knowledge between our peoples. Learning the secrets of the stars is a great passion for Wizarding kind, especially if we choose to start anew someday."

"Yes, yes," O'Neill said impatiently, waving his hand. "And we look after the boy because of some whack-job who wants to kill him."

"As a last resort, you must take him through the Stargate", Dumbledore said quietly. "It will not be forever, of course. He will be needed in the upcoming war against Lord Voldemort" – Fudge shuttered – "as any child wanted dead by the Dark Lord must be a powerful sorcerer indeed."

"I've been briefed," O'Neill muttered. "But between us, I don't get why you guys want to hand him over to us. The last bad guy we encountered had to be killed with a nuke detonating halfway up his ass. Your guy can't be any worse than ours."

"The Stargate programme is the most secure operation on the planet," Fudge said impatiently. He, too, had been briefed. "In fact, to our surprise, you found us before we found you, and we have been evading Muggles since the dawn of time."

"Didn't work too well during the Dark Ages," Jack remarked, and Fudge was furious.

"That is a very sensitive topic we do not like discussing," he said pointedly.

There was an awkward silence, broken only by O'Neill's brief "ah". At last Dumbledore decided to speak once more, which both other men were grateful for.

"The reason is because we do not believe the Dark Lord is gone forever. He will return, and we do not know when. If it is in a few months, or even only a couple of years, Harry will be in grave danger. He must be protected until he is ready, and although-"

Fudge quickly cut-in: "although Dumbledore would like to place him in the care of his aunt and uncle, and have him attend Hogwarts – our school of magic, that is – the Ministry has spoken as a decisive whole. I daresay he would have gotten his way too, had you not appeared so suddenly and offered us an alternative."

"I didn't offer you anything," O'Neill said, shrugging his shoulders. "I just thought it was… strange… that your first request to us was to protect a kid that young. Is he really that important to you?"

"Harry Potter vanquished He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named,' Fudge said. "He is the 'Boy Who Lived', and a national hero to us all. He cannot remain in the Wizarding World, even if we would all like him to. This… _monster_ has killed dozens of people, including his parents. And he has many followers still at large, ready to fulfill his plan to the very end."

"Uh huh… anyway, I guess I'd better be going. I'm overdue. Supposed to leave the talking to the grown-ups," he smiled, and Fudge exchanged a confused look with Dumbledore.

_Yep… these folks have no sense of humour…_ Jack thought as he watched them. The child turned in his arms slightly, and Jack looked down. _Well, little hero, let's get going. I'm sure Fraser will go nuts when she sees that scar…_

Silently, the two unusual men turned and strode away, while Jack wrapped Harry in the few extra blankets he had brought. He carefully reentered the helicopter and strapped himself in, holding the boy in his arms. He gave the pilot a thumbs-up, and the 'flying contraption' started up.

At that point, he had no idea what the future held for the both of them…

**A:N - I don't give many notes because I think it's unprofessional, so I'll keep this brief. More will be explained regarding the Stargate programme discovering the Wizarding World over-time, as well as their alliance, 'clauses', Dumbledore's intentions and Atlantis itself. Thank you. **


	2. Chapter One - Homestead

**Chapter One – Homestead**

General George Hammond sat in his briefing room, eying the four people before him carefully. He knew they were some of the best on the planet in their own field, not that many people were involved with that field in particular. Nevertheless, they could be difficult to manage, despite being under his direct command.

"As you all know, the boy has been placed in our care for the time being," Hammond said. "We've already found a suitable guardian, willing to raise him as a step-mother, If you will."

Jack raised his head from its resting place on his hand. "Step-mother, you say? Carter…?" he asked, looking around at the captain.

She raised her eyebrows, slightly surprised. "It's not me, sir. Dr. Fraiser was more than willing to look after him, although when he's a few years older he'll be spending a lot of time on the base anyway."

"Why?" Jack asked simply.

"Sir?"

"Why will he be spending time on the base?" Jack asked Hammond directly. "It's only been up and running for a couple of months, and how many times do we get our asses shot at when we step through? You can't raise a damned child in this place!"

"I'm aware of the risks, colonel," Hammond replied. "And I've expressed my concerns directly to the President. Unfortunately, he has an agreement with the… with the 'Wizarding World' Minister. They want the boy to learn as much as possible, in case they ever decide to leave the planet. They believe an expert is needed."

"Or they're trying to spy on us," Jack offered. Teal'c raised an eyebrow at that… of course.

"I believe Colonel O'Neill may be correct in that assumption, General Hammond," he said respectfully. "It does appear strange that they would hand us this child if he is of such importance to them, especially if their distrust of your people is as great as they say."

Jack looked at him for a moment. Teal'c had been here for only a short span of time, yet was now trusted impeccably by every man and woman on the base, including the four people in this room. They owed him their lives, and likewise he could argue that he was indebted to them also. Could it be that their luck had turned out well, twice in a row? Surely not.

"And it's worse than that," Jack began again, "he could compromise the safety of every person serving in this facility. And what if we face another epidemic, like that… _virus _a few weeks back?"

"You mean the one that turned you into a caveman?" Daniel asked, sounding slightly amused.

"…yes."

Hammond opened up the folder in front of him, and skipped directly to one of the middle pages. It was a handwritten copy of the alliance, including all of the terms and agreements, clauses, and mandates. Most of it was very unusual. Some of it was just downright disturbing for a man like George Hammond, so used to understanding everything before him if it could be understood.

"I have, in their own words, a belief that his magical blood may immunise him to any contagious disease brought through the Gate. Their people are inherently immune to any illness we've previously encountered, so he could be a valuable asset."

"So we're just going to use him as a guinea pig?" Daniel asked, sounded disgusted.

"Of course not," Hammond reassured. "All newborns have blood samples taken early, to determine blood type, among other things. If we take a sample, I've been assured that we can keep it fresh for future use. Magical blood seems to have an advantage in that regard."

"Back to my original point," Jack said, waving his hands around slightly. "Spies."

"He's just a baby, sir," Sam protested.

"And who knows what they can do to kids that young?" Jack asked. "I mean, how do we even know they're telling the truth about that nutcase who wants to kill him?"

Hammond cleared his throat. "Colonel, they asked a few of us to visit the house where his parents were murdered in order to pay our respects. Believe me: they're telling the truth."

"Was it that bad?" Sam asked, sounding greatly concerned.

"Worse. Parts of the house had been blown apart by whatever magic they were using. I can see why they avoid our kind. If we were to ever mix there would be great unease on both sides. It could lead to a lot of trouble. That's why they want the child here. They have to hide from regular society, and any slip-ups are harshly punished. Their government may want an opportunity to start their own world entirely, where they can live without fear. The Gate provides them with that opportunity."

"It would still take years," Sam included, and Jack noticed she seemed a million miles away. One of the amazing things about Samantha Carter was how her wheels never stopped turning, although Jack simply called that an unnecessary burden. "An exodus of that magnitude… a lot of people wouldn't want to leave at all."

"I know," Hammond said lowly. "In any case, I strongly recommend you all take the time to read this document. In fact, make it an order. It's vital we all understand what's happening here. Only a few months ago we knew hardly anything about the Stargate. Since then we've discovered a hostile alien race, the fact that there are thousands of planets for us to explore, and now a hidden group of magicians on our own planet."

"That reminds ms," Jack said, clicking his fingers. His conversation from the previous night came rushing back. "How the hell did we find out about them? If magic is all that great, why didn't they just snap their fingers and disappear?"

Sam grinned at that.

"It seems they've always had an arrangement with the British Prime Minister," Hammond explained. "Normally he would keep quiet, but in this case he spoke to the President in-confidence."

"And that's it?"

"From what we understand, they would have… err… wiped both their memories, but instead the President asked to meet with them directly, to their surprise. They accepted, and were absolutely shocked after he had finished speaking. I imagine it was a very long conversation," Hammond said wearily. He was growing tired of this, knowing that all of this information was stored in the brief they each had.

"How do you know all this, sir?" Jack asked, throwing his arms out wide.

Hammond screwed his face up. "Just read the file, colonel. All of you read it. Now, dismissed."

* * *

After that briefing, life returned to very much a routine for the members of SG-1. They continued with their missions through the Gate, fighting against the merciless Goa'uld, discovering ancient cultures and exploring the galaxy as a whole. For Janet Fraiser, the idea of looking after a child was difficult, but a challenge she accepted with utmost happiness. It gave her a welcome release from the stress of everyday life, even if it did mean bringing a whole new level of anxiety.

For the most part, she didn't have any romances over the next few years. It had always been a sacrifice she deemed necessary. Too much time had to be devoted to her work with the SGC, work that was too important to put aside. And now that she had adopted Harry, she simply didn't have the luxury of finding love. It was sad in one way, but joyous in another.

The adoption issue was the most complicated of all, when one regarded the alliance. The magicians wanted Harry to be kept safe, and their government had largely decreed it could not be done inside their own world. Instead, they wanted him to be raised by 'Muggles', as they had called her. He had living relatives, but obviously they were not related to the programme and nor would they ever be.

Therefore, the SGC and the magical government had gotten together, and searched for someone within the programme who could be called trustworthy. Hammond, who had expected months of arduous searching, was very surprised when Dr. Fraiser had knocked on his office door, asking for a private word. That had been on the very first day that the announcement was made. The witches and wizards were a picky bunch, and very strenuous interviews followed.

"And what makes you think you are suitable for raising an infant wizard?" one of them had demanded sharply.

Taken aback, Janet realised what type of interview this would be, and decided to display her strongest characteristics.

"I'll protect that child with my life if I have to. He's a wizard, yes, but that means nothing to me as his mother. All life is precious, and I have some of the best maternal instincts you'll ever see." She pointed at him then, and his eyes seemed to reflect terror. "Don't you dare question me like that again; I'm obviously more capable than you are, or we wouldn't be here at all, would we?"

The wizard swallowed nervously, whilst Hammond smiled at her and wrote something on a piece of paper. It read: 'Approved'.

"Personally," he said, "I believe Dr. Fraiser is perfect for this role. However, doctor, I think he was only trying to inquire about your financial assets."

She smiled at that, encouraging Hammond and unnerving the wizard – Vorenus was his name – significantly.

"Well, sirs, I'm a medical doctor with the SGC, of course. I don't have anyone else to provide for, so I can manage comfortably."

Vorenus cleared his throat nervously, giving Janet greater confidence. She answered the next few questions almost with a swagger, one which made Hammond proud of her strength and depth. "You are aware of why we seek a legal guardian for the boy known as Harry Potter?"

"I am."

"You know of our terms and conditions regarding his education, both magical and Muggle?"

"I do."

"And do you accept full responsibility for his care and well-being, swearing that you will do all you can to protect him in times of peril?"

"Yes. Of course."

The two men exchanged a look.

"Well, I see no reason not to appoint you as Harry's official guardian," Vorenus said, smiling finally. She returned the gesture. "You've showed your… eh… qualities admirably, and I believe Harry would be very happy to have you as his… 'step-mother'"?

Hammond nodded. "Congratulations, doctor," he said. He was delighted with this outcome. Hand-picking the key personnel of Stargate Command had been a huge responsibility, but Janet Fraiser seemed to fit the position as though it was created for her. She was friendly, compassionate, more competent than any doctor he had ever seen, and emotionally stronger than any person he had ever had the pleasure of knowing. Now she had proved herself yet again, not that it was necessary. If anyone could deal with the potential challenge of raising Harry, it was her. It was a very short interview, but those answers she had given were part of a magical test, designed to detect truth and purity of heart. She had passed with flying colours.

Janet had been nervous at first, but was calmed instantly when she held the baby in her arms for the first time. Then she felt privileged. She shook her head and looked down at him.

"What type of person could try to kill a harmless child after murdering his parents?" she had asked.

Hammond's response was that he did not know, and that he hoped he would never have to find out either.

* * *

And so the years passed in a flurry. Stargate Command carried out its missions secretly, and the Wizarding World got back to normal. The newly appointed Minister, Cornelius Fudge himself, soon began to reject Dumbledore's belief that Voldemort would return. Instead, he focused on building a new world, choosing to forget the past and move forward. He never forgot about the alliance, but put it to the back of his mind. Harry was too young to become acquainted with anyone or anything of import, so Fudge was happy to spend his time furthering himself politically instead.

One clause in the terms of the alliance stated that neither group would become directly linked to the other immediately, so they tended not to interfere with each other's business. Of course, Hammond held annual meetings with Dumbledore, the chosen representative, but for the most part the President himself engaged in briefings with Fudge and others. Under joint orders from the Minister and President, the memory of the British Prime Minister was modified to forget about both bodies. He had proven himself untrustworthy in the eyes of the Ministry of Magic, and Stargate Command could not yet afford to be exposed to other nations either.

Hammond knew it was morally wrong. After all, he had delivered the possibility of the alliance. Still, he couldn't go against the President, and let it lie. Due to no interference, Stargate Command never asked for help, except on occasions when the planet itself was threatened. Even then the Ministry refused to oblige, and a faint coldness grew between the two. They said it was too risky, that only a few select members of Stargate Command could know about their existence, and that their people knew nothing about Muggles that would be helpful. Nobody knew if that was the exact truth, or a fabrication.

When he was a few years older, Janet enrolled Harry in a local elementary school. There he learned about all things Muggle during the day, while at night-time studied the arts of magic with his appointed tutor at home.

Janet hated getting him ready for school everyday. His hair was impossible to groom, and he could break her heart by staring at her with those bright, green eyes, as if to say: "mama, please don't make me go today".

Generally, however, he was a very excitable young boy, and loved being around people he knew well. More than once, she often wondered if he was bullied at school just because of that fact and his unhappiness combined, but his teacher assured her it was not the case. He never played with any friends, so she spent her time teaching him some things about medicine, as well as space itself, simply because she knew them well.

He fell in love with both instantly, particularly the stars, and an outsider would say it was because Janet was so kind and caring, so patient, such a wonderful mother that he wanted to do whatever she did. In fact, Harry often grew bored during his time with the magic tutor. Vorenus, to Janet's surprise, was chosen, and his lessons were unfortunately quite boring. He droned on and on about history, saying over and over it was his favourite subject at Hogwarts.

One day, when Harry was almost in tears at the sheer dullness, Janet had snapped at Vorenus.

"This isn't important, and if it is I really pity your historians!" she said angrily, glaring at him and picking Harry up in her arms. She hastily took him out of Vorenus' presence.

"Mama, can you teach me about the big dog again?" Harry asked sweetly, smiling at her expectantly.

Her heart melted. "Of course, honey," she replied, kissing him on the cheek. She carried him over to the window in his bedroom, where sat a nice telescope for Harry to use whenever he wanted.

She found the correct constellation, and gently sat him down, kneeling down beside him. "See?" she asked, pointing above. "That star is called 'Sirius', the 'dog star' in Canis Major, its constellation."

"Does Sirius look like a big dog, mama?" he asked her.

"No, silly," she said gently, ruffling his hair. "You see that group of stars beside Sirius?"

He nodded.

"That looks a little like a dog, so they call Sirius the 'dog star' because it's part of it. See?"

He was confused, as any four year old would be. "I don't see it, mummy. But when I grow up big, I want to go to the stars!" he said, getting more excited than normal.

Her smile dropped a little at that, but she acted happy for his sake. Her job told her how dangerous such a thought was, even such an innocent one from a child. Many people had gone through that Gate excitedly, and many had returned lifeless. She hugged him, before putting him to bed.

_Damn it all if he isn't really my son. What sort of people could put a child in harm's way? The Stargate is so dangerous… and they want him near it._

She would stop them if she could.

But as she was to discover, she couldn't.

* * *

When SG-1 encountered an alien child on P8X-987, known as Cassandra, Janet had offered to look after her as well. It would have been good for Harry (who was only two at the time) to have a sister figure, who could help him feel more comfortable around people, and Janet truly felt her heart go to the little girl. Her planet had been wiped out by Nirrti, and she had used Cassie as a human bomb. Fortunately, she made it through the ordeal, and the bomb was 'deactivated.'

Unfortunately, Hammond decided that Janet already had her hands full with one child, although she would have prevailed with her protestations had Sam not intervened beforehand. She _was_ grateful for that. Harry was indeed a handful, and Sam would make a wonderful guardian under all circumstances. She showed a remarkably strong bond with Cassie, and vice versa.

They occasionally had discussions about the children, but never let it affect their involvement with Stargate Command.

At a certain point a few years later, Harry may have saved her life. On a mission to P3X-666, Daniels, the doctor second to her, was hit by a staff blast and killed instantly during a firefight with Jaffa warriors. She felt guilty for months after that incident. If Harry hadn't gotten sick over his teacher, and she hadn't been called to take him home, she would have led that mission and been in his place. But then she would have left her child alone in the world…

So long as she lived, he would never be alone. She was his mother, and loved him more than any person in the whole world. If he was ever taken from her… she wouldn't know what to do.

**A:N - Another brief note. A fairly slow and informational chapter, because I had to establish foundations (time moves quickly between the prologue and early chapters, remember). Atlantis is coming up soon. **


	3. Chapter Two - The Pegasus Project

**Chapter Two – The Pegasus Project**

On Harry's eleventh birthday, he received a great surprise. Normally, he and Janet would invite a few people over – such as Sam and Cassie, Jack, Teal'c and Daniel – as Harry didn't have many friends his own age. It was worrying for Janet; she knew having friends was important for the development of a young boy, but Harry seemed very reclusive. She thought it may have been due to his being 'different', but he never liked to talk about it. He would happily read a book instead, or have her teach him more about space or medicine. He was also quite stubborn, so she tended to let him work to his own devices.

After noting his interest in astronomy, Janet had brushed up on her own knowledge, and when it reached a level beyond her, she enlisted the help of Sam. Daniel, meanwhile, spent a lot of time teaching Harry about archaeology and the Ancient language, once it had been properly discovered. As Jack had said on hearing that: "I guess it's up to us to teach the kid how to have fun, T." Teal'c had merely raised an eyebrow, but every opportunity they tried to get Harry to experience a little society, even if it was something as simple as fishing, the colonel's favourite pastime. Eventually he grew to be comfortable around the whole of SG-1, but that was it.

Vorenus had tried to organize 'play-dates' with other magical children, but a combination of strenuous Ministry checks, SGC protocol and overly suspicious parents made that quite impossible. The one time it had worked out, Harry was six years old. When he magically popped into the living room one morning, Vorenus had a young boy beside him, name of Neville Longbottom. Harry was typically shy at first, and Neville didn't seem to be much different. When they found a common interest by talking about plants and nature, things seemed to take a turn for the good.

Then, disaster struck in a dramatic fashion.

The boys had quietly 'borrowed' Vorenus' wand, and were experimenting with a common daffodil in the back garden. Nothing happened at first, until Neville prodded it sharply and somehow it mutated into a giant abomination with a mouth and hands, before proceeding to chase them around the garden. Screaming and crying, the two boys called for the adults, who rushed outside in a panic. When Vorenus saw what was happening, he picked his wand off of the ground and hastily muttered a few choice words, spontaneously igniting the plant until only ashes remained.

He then became angrier than Janet had ever seen him, and sternly lectured both children on the dangers of unsupervised magic.

"This is why they don't get wands until they turn eleven," he said to Janet afterwards. "Accidental magic is a pain under normal circumstances, but when they get a wand in their hands it's just downright dangerous. Has Harry ever done anything… unusual?"

She paused for a moment, thinking carefully. "Well, there was one thing… I had his hair trimmed a little one day to try to tidy it up, and he hated it. It was only a bit shorter, but he cried for an hour afterwards. When he woke up the next morning, it seemed to have gotten longer again."

Vorenus nodded in understanding. "Accidentally altering appearance is a common one. It's only little things that always right themselves again," he added hastily, nothing Janet's expression, "but it can surprise the family nevertheless."

Harry was frightened to be around Neville Longbottom from then on.

For his birthdays, Janet normally had a small party, inviting other parents and their children to come along. When it was clear that wouldn't work for Harry, it became more of a localised affair; i.e. – SG-1 appeared, along with various other people from Stargate Command. Janet was alarmed when Harry, giggling on his third birthday, tried to grab the gold Jaffa First Prime marking on Teal'c's head, but he had merely smiled to her great relief. Others included Hammond, which was a surprise at first, Sergeant Walter Harriman, Siler – everybody loved Siler – and Dumbledore always made a short appearance from the magical community, as did Vorenus.

This year, however, when he turned eleven, Dumbledore had given his deepest apologies and not turned up, saying that there was an urgent problem involving one of the Hogwarts teaching positions. He had left a parcel, which was what greatly surprised everybody. It was a mysterious cloak, and Janet nearly died of fright when he threw it over his shoulders and everything bar his head seemed to disappear into thin air. Vorenus, shocked at the rarity of the gift, explained that it was an invisibility cloak.

His mother making him promise not to wear it after his bedtime, Harry was eager to try it out completely. Before that happened, though, he found a note enclosed with the wonderful present.

It read: 'Your father left this in my possession before he died. It is high time it was returned to you. Use it well. Yours sincerely, Professor Albus Dumbledore.'

That one note triggered a series of questions about his father, questions which Harry hadn't asked before. And so, it was then Janet sat him down, using the help of Vorenus and Sam, and gently – and tearfully – explained the truth about his parents.

To the shock of both women, Harry didn't cry. Instead, he ran forward and embraced his mother in a fierce hug.

"You're the only mommy I know," he said lowly, his face buried in her shoulder.

Feeling a tear roll down her cheek, Janet smiled. She selflessly told him he must remember that his parents were great people. They were heroes who had sacrificed their lives for him, and he must never forget them. She gave him a book of photographs, one which Dumbledore had entrusted to her for safe keeping. In his own gentle words:

"Give it to Harry only when the time is right."

Harry looked at many of them for a while, before carefully closing it and looking back at her, his eyes wide. For the first time, he showed the maturity that would define his character in the years to come.

"Is it okay if I still call you 'mommy'? You look after me, and I love you."

He would inevitably remove the last two letters of that word in a few years and merely call her 'mom', or 'mum' if his inherited British accent won out. But for now, it would do. She nodded slowly, telling him that she loved him too. That even though she was his foster-mother, she still loved him as a real son, and that would never change, no matter what.

"Foster mother?" Vorenus asked confusedly. "Surely you mean 'step mother'?"

"Both terms count; foster-mother is what we use in America, and step mother is common in England," Sam explained quietly.

Janet smiled without opening her eyes, closed as they were whilst she hugged her son. Wizards could be so hapless at times.

* * *

Harry stood in the elevator nervously, twirling his wand around in his hand. He took it everywhere he went, having received it on his eleventh birthday. Vorenus had taken him and his mother to Diagon Alley, where both were stunned by what they saw. Dozens of shops packed into a tight alleyway, overflowing with magic of all sorts. Clothes shops for wizards, bookshops, stores for Wizarding games, broomsticks for sale – he almost had to be dragged away from that store, such was his awe – and countless others. He shuddered as he remembered the conversation with Mr. Ollivander, the wand salesman, and his piercing eyes.

From then on, Harry had asked Vorenus to discount the boring history lessons, and teach him something exciting about magic. Slightly annoyed at first, the young man had finally come around, and began to teach him the basics of potions and herbs, charms and even a little defensive magic. Harry finally began to love magic as a true wizard from then onwards, but his memory wasn't perfect, so he wrote down almost every single thing Vorenus taught him. He then proceeded to copy it out in his spare time, and continue that process until it was firmly lodged in his memory.

Now, at the age of fifteen, he knew more than many adult wizards and witches regarding all the essential magical topics and theories. That, mixed with his continuous study in science, archaeology and languages, made him somewhat of a social hermit. But he didn't care, and Janet was just happy he was doing something that he loved.

His first visit to the SGC was beyond words. His eyes opened wide in astonishment the first time he saw the Stargate, and when it had been activated, he had to pinch himself to make sure it wasn't a dream. Yes, he was partly a nerd, but Sam and Daniel taught him to be proud of seeing the world they way they taught him to, and he grew to envelop it completely. Jack had groaned audibly at that. When the 'kawoosh' exploded from its origin halfway down the ramp in the control room, he was physically laughing with excitement.

That was at the age of thirteen. Many weeks of teaching about the origins of the Stargate had followed from SG-1, including how it had been found, how it worked, and why the SGC had been created. After about a year, the careful inspection of the SGC determined that he could be trusted – though not without caution – and began to let him read some minor mission reports. He almost devoured them with more glee than his books on space or the magical world, and had read about two hundred in the space of only three weeks. Janet was alarmed at his ferocity towards this area of interest, but he reassured her by saying it was "just like a real life sci-fi story."

His lessons with Dr. Jackson took an interesting turn one afternoon. Daniel sat him down and gave him a translation task in Ancient, to see his progress. He, meanwhile, studied a peculiar device that he had taken along. It was an unusual shape, being halfway between spherical and rectangular, and he couldn't activate it no matter how hard he tried.

"What is it?" Harry asked with interest, setting his pen down.

"It's… eh… it's a power device, we think…" he replied, fumbling with its control panel. He looked up. "Shouldn't you be finishing those questions?"

"Yeah, I already have," Harry replied, sliding the page to Daniel, but not taking his eyes off the device. Daniel sat it down, and picked up Harry's answers.

"Uh huh, correct… that's right… of course… flawless, as usual…" were some of the things he said, but Harry paid no attention.

Without realising it, he stretched out a hand and lightly brushed his fingers against the device. It was Ancient, as his knowledge told him, and it made his heart lurch when it suddenly activated before his eyes. Daniel looked round slowly, eyes narrowed as he examined it. They flicked between it and Harry.

"What did you do?" he asked gently, albeit sharply.

"Nothing, I… I just touched it, is all," Harry replied, shrugging his shoulders, slightly panicked. He didn't want to anger Daniel, one of his best friends despite the age difference.

"Huh," Daniel said simply.

"What is it?" Harry asked.

"I'm not sure… but it seems to me that you have the Ancient gene."

That didn't ring a bell to Harry, in spite of all his reading.

"What gene?" he asked carefully.

Daniel shut his eyes, and sighed. "Of course. It all makes sense now."

"What does?"

Daniel looked at him, and then started speaking with his customary rapidity. "Well, I can't be certain, but I'm guessing all magical folk have some variation of this gene in their body. We only discovered it recently, you see. It allows certain people to use certain pieces of Ancient technology that others can't. We're guessing that those with the gene are directly descended from the Ancients themselves, and now I'm wondering if all magical people are…" he trailed off.

Harry swallowed. "And… do _you_ have this gene?"

"Yes, but we've determined it's more active in some people than others, which is why I couldn't activate this device, and you could. Your body must possess it much more strongly than mine," he said.

"What does that mean?" Harry asked slowly.

Daniel grinned slightly. "It means I have to talk to Stargate Command. We might just need your help with something."

Now, only a few days later, Harry was in Antarctica, accompanied by Daniel and another woman. Doctor Elizabeth Weir had led the SGC briefly, before command was transferred to the promoted General O'Neill. Harry knew little about her.

"So, are you nervous?" she asked, smiling at him.

He nodded.

"Well, don't be. It's just a simple task we have. Everything will be-"

Her words were cut short, as a flying sphere of light flew directly past the elevator towards the surface. Harry's heart skipped a beat, and he stepped back instinctively.

"That was my toe, Harry," Daniel said, grimacing.

"Sorry."

Weir quickly touched a button on her headset. "This is Weir. What the hell is going on down there?"

"_Err… a little bit of trouble with the drone chair, ma'am," _Chuck replied.

She scoffed slightly at that. "You don't say," she half-muttered.

"Drones?" Harry asked, turning to face Daniel. "Are they what destroyed Anubis' fleet a while ago?"

Daniel nodded.

"My, you _are_ well-read," Weir replied, cocking her head slightly.

Harry blushed slightly.

Suddenly, the lift doors opened and both of his companions sped out towards a large room. It looked to Harry like someone had carved a large sphere in an icy cave, stuck a glass dome on top and then proceeded to litter the surrounding area with wires and strange bits of equipment that he couldn't place. In the centre was a man sitting on an ornately decorated chair, looking worried, while another stood before him, just appearing annoyed.

"Rodney, what's happening?" Daniel asked quickly.

"What does it look like?" Rodney replied irritably. "Captain Courage over here decided it would be a good idea to fire one of the live drones with the chair! I'm tracking it now…"

Weir ignored McKay and rushed to Dr. Beckett's side. "Carson, you have to shut that drone down before it hurts someone."

"I know, I'm trying," he said in a thick Scottish accent, sounding frantic.

"Don't try, just do it," Daniel offered speedily. "Will it to happen and it'll happen."

There was silence as the surrounding scientists and engineers watched the events unfolding before their eyes. Suddenly, Carson gasped and his eyes flew open.

"I think I did it," he said uncertainly.

"I can confirm that," Rodney said confidently. "Lookout says the drone has been deactivated."

"Good," Weir said, looking relieved. "General O'Neill's helicopter should be okay."

Harry rubbed his temple. He knew about the enormous destructive power those weapons had, and was relieved it had been deactivated safely. Carson hastily stepped out of the chair.

"I told you something like that would bloody happen!"

"Oh, here we go," Rodney said, rolling his eyes.

"Enough. Both of you," Weir said sharply. "Be more careful next time, got it?"

Harry felt a little more nervous than he was before suddenly. "Daniel, when you said you needed my help… you didn't mean…"

"The chair?" Daniel asked, looking around. "I did. Don't worry, I seen how strongly you control the gene. You'll be fine."

"Great…"

* * *

The first time Harry sat in the chair, he was terrified of accidentally firing another drone. Under Daniel's supervision, however, he began to relax and found that he could indeed control it immensely well. When he focused but a little, the chair lit up brightly and many symbols began to float above him.

"Kid, think about our position in the solar system," Rodney told him.

Harry obliged, and the result was what appeared to be an Ancient map of the entire system, before it expanded to eventually include the Local Cluster. Daniel was amazed, and even McKay looked impressed.

"Huh. You're the first one to bring that up," he said.

"What does that mean?" Daniel asked him.

"It means you were right. If his people are born with this gene naturally, it's incredibly strong because of that. Closest we'll get to an actual living Ancient, in fact."

Daniel folded his arms and scrutinised the readings on McKay's tablet. If they were accurate – and knowing McKay, they were – Harry was more able to control the ATA gene than anyone under the employ of the SGC.

"I think we need to talk with Weir and O'Neill, when he arrives," Daniel told Rodney.

"Why?"

"I… can't say here. Just follow me," he said, walking towards the briefing room. "Oh, and Harry? Could you-"

"Yeah," Harry replied quickly, jumping up out of the Ancient device.

Harry was left with Beckett for company. He seemed to be a very nice and friendly person, although it was palpable to anyone that he didn't like being around technology if it was dangerous. They talked about the Stargate a little, with Harry speaking of all he had learned. Carson responded by sneakily telling him a little of what they were planning. It was only a name, but enough to peak the youngster's curiosity.

"Atlantis?" Harry asked, eyes wide. "You mean the lost city itself?"

"Yes, that's the one. I just hope it has none of these damned chairs, though. It's lucky I didn't hurt someone."

As it turned out, his comment had been overheard.

"So you're the one. You're the one who fired that damn thing at me!" a man said angrily. Harry looked around quickly. The man was definitely military; a major, perhaps, in his early to mid thirties. He had dark black hair and what Harry assumed was a friendly face, only it didn't look too friendly at the moment.

"Look," Carson said, putting his hands up, "we're only starting to discover all new kinds of technology here, and we don't know what's what. If it helps, I am deeply, deeply sorry."

The soldier paused for a moment, and then nodded. "Apology accepted. What the hell was that thing, anyway?"

"You mean the drone?"

"Yeah."

"It's one of the weapons left behind by the Ancients when they left this place."

"The who?" the major asked, examining the chair with interest.

"You _do_ have security clearance to be here?" Carson asked, sounding alarmed.

"Yeah, General O'Neill just gave it to me," he replied, as Harry watched him with interest.

Carson sighed. "Then do you even know about the Stargate?"

"The what?"

* * *

Doctors Weir, McKay and Jackson stood beside a large whiteboard, upon which Daniel had earlier drawn the discovered Gate address for Atlantis. Having already explained the situation to Weir, she, in turn, was attempting to convince O'Neill.

"General, we need him," she said.

O'Neill misunderstood. "Who, Daniel? No, I need him here. He's a member of SG-1."

Daniel looked resigned at that declaration, but shook his head.

"I'm talking about Harry," Weir said carefully.

Jack's eyes widened greatly. "He's just a kid! He has no military training at all, and he's not prepared for travelling through the Gate yet, let alone to another galaxy!"

"Well, which of us did at first?" Daniel asked him.

"…okay… but still, he's a kid. Why do you want _him, _anyway?"

"He controls the gene naturally," Rodney added helpfully. "It'll be a vital asset when we're there to have as many people as possible who are... 'genists'."

"'Genists'?" Jack asked him incredulously.

"I... may have just made that up."

"The point is," Weir said loudly, overruling him, "this was going to happen sooner or later. I know all about the alliance, and what's expected of him. It's as if this opportunity was made just for him to further his studies."

"His scar started burning recently," Daniel said quietly.

"And what the hell does that mean?" Jack asked, shrugging his shoulders.

"Dumbledore told me months ago that he expects Lord Voldemort will return soon, and that this is a sign. I have no idea why, but he tends to be right about these things. The magical government always said they wanted him for a war that might happen-"

-"and Janet always told us to make sure that didn't happen under any circumstances," Jack nodded. "I know. But still, travelling to another galaxy isn't exactly a safe haven, is it?"

"It's not, but he would eventually do it anyway," Daniel explained. "He'll never join the military, so there's no point waiting for that to happen. We can train him to travel through the Gate over the next few weeks. We'll need that time for preparation, anyway."

There was a brief silence, and Jack sighed in resignation. "Well, the three of you seem to know what you're doing, even if I don't. Fine. You have a go, but you'll need to clear it with his mother first, and God help you there."

"Well, why's that?" Rodney asked, looking lost.

"Because she loves him too much, and won't let him go to another galaxy on a whim," Jack chastised. "Now, are we done here?"

Weir nodded. "I think so. I'd like to talk to you about a few matters, general, if you don't mind. There's a lot to sort out before departure."

"Fine," he replied wearily, opening the door and letting her go through first. "I'm gonna get some food, so would you care to join me?"

"I'd like that," she said cheerfully.

They walked back out into the main room, where they saw a most peculiar sight. A man Weir had never seen before was sitting in the weapons chair, whilst Harry and Dr. Beckett frantically urged him not to do or think about anything.

"Who the hell is this?" Weir demanded, striding over.

O'Neill stared at him. "I said don't touch anything."

"I just sat down," Sheppard replied, swallowing slightly.

"Major, try to picture our position in the solar system," McKay ordered, snapping his fingers and looking at his tablet. To his great surprise, it bore the same result that Harry's earlier testing had, although the map stopped as it reached the edge of the system this time.

Weir peered above, then tapped O'Neill on the shoulder.

"Ehh... general...?"

"Yes, fine, you can keep him!" Jack said irritably, before striding off for some much-needed hot soup.


	4. Chapter Three - The Ocean Floor

**Chapter Three – The Ocean Floor **

For a man who had served half of his life in the United States Air Force, John Sheppard had seen and done many amazing things in life. Some of them he never wanted to do again, and others he would jump at the opportunity to repeat. What Elizabeth Weir had just told him, however, was a decision he couldn't make immediately.

"I told Weir I'd think about it," he told General O'Neill, preparing the chopper to take off.

"I know," O'Neill replied, and there was silence for a few moments as he thought about how to reply. Then it seemed to come to him in a flash of inspiration. "Did you see that kid in there, the one with the scar on his forehead?"

"Were there any other kids in there, sir?" Sheppard asked cheekily.

"No, but answer the question."

"Yes, sir, I saw him," Sheppard said absent-mindedly, fastening his headpiece.

"Do you know what he was doing there?"

"No, sir. Can't say that I do."

"He was there because he loves the Stargate programme, and wants to help out. A _kid_ is fascinated by the danger and risks of Gate travel. What does that say about you?"

Sheppard shrugged. "Kids are fascinated by everything they see. I loved Ferris wheels. Still do, as a matter of fact."

O'Neill sighed. "Sheppard, why did you join the Air Force?"

"I think people who don't want to fly are crazy," he replied instantly, before realising he had dug himself into a hole.

"Exactly. Well, I think people who don't want to go through the Stargate are equally as whacked. I won't go on and on; I'll just say that if you can't give me a 'yes' by the time we reach McMurdo, I don't even want you," Jack said with an air of finality.

Sheppard considered that as he started to pilot the helicopter carefully. If a teenage kid could deal with the risks, then so could he. Still, that wouldn't make his mind up for him. He was used to making instant leadership decisions on a battlefield, but this was different. It was his entire future – travel to another galaxy, discover ancient civilisations on mysterious planets, possibly fly around in spaceships, or spend the rest of his career couriering around more senior officers?

_What am I, crazy? _

He turned to O'Neill and simply said: "yes."

"Good," came the reply.

* * *

On the other hand, Janet couldn't make a decision so simply. She sat on the most comfortable armchair in her house, struggling to come to terms with what was happening. Maturely, Harry had asked Weir not to get involved in the discussion, though she sat next to the two of them anyway.

Janet shook her head with sorrow. "I knew this would happen. We were told that there'd be some type of war, and your scar hurting was a sign it would be soon. Now they want you back…"

Harry stared at the ground, and shook his head. "I don't care what they want. I can't go 'back' because I've never been part of that world before. I love learning about magic, but I won't fight in some stupid war. Vorenus taught me about the last war, and if this one is anything like it, a lot of people are going to get hurt and die. I don't want to add to that tally."

"What about your parents?" Janet asked softly, knowing that it was a necessary question. She hated herself for asking it, but it couldn't be ignored.

"I hate that bastard for what he's done," Harry said angrily, surprising her. "If I ever see him I'll make him pay. But I won't go hunting for him. How could I? I'm not even an adult yet. I'd just get in the Ministry's way of trying to stop him," he explained. "Anyway… _you're _my mom, and I'm not going to risk anything happening to you."

Janet was relieved. She definitely didn't want him taking part in a bloody battle with evil magicians. Dumbledore said that he must be a powerful wizard himself, and they wanted his help because of that. She said that he was just a boy, and asked for SG-1's help years ago, in case this situation ever occurred. Now that it had, she had to accept the best course of action, which SG-1 happened to think was this venture.

"How can you guarantee he'll be safe if he goes with you?" she asked Weir.

"I can't," she replied. "But I can assure you the men and women I'm selecting are the best at what they do. Now, we'll do everything we can to make this journey as safe as possible, but we all know how dangerous the Gate can be."

Janet looked at her for a moment, but then nodded, resigned. "At the end of the day… it can hardly be worse than a war with magic. I've seen what the Goa'uld and Replicators could do, even if both were defeated a few years ago. From what I've been told… these dark wizards are far more powerful."

Weir nodded. It was in understanding, not affirmation, but Janet suddenly sighed and stood up quickly, attracting Harry's attention.

"Promise me that you'll do everything you can to keep him safe," she told Weir.

"I promise."

"And you promise me that you won't do anything that could endanger you," she told Harry.

He nodded. "Unless I have to, I promise that I won't."

She frowned at that, but knew it was the best she would get. Her little boy had grown up, and showed wisdom far beyond his years. "Okay. You can go. You'll be safer if you're out of harm's way completely, rather than hiding in plain sight of it."

Harry grinned widely, and hugged her in thanks. His first thought was what books he could bring with him.

Later that night, after Weir had left and his mother decided to have an early night, he was awake in his room, organizing books and equipment into separate piles. Knowing the basics in most of the classes, he decided on only the most advanced potions, charms and defence books that he had. They were vital because he would be the only wizard on the expedition team, of course. Everybody going already had the highest level of security clearance possible, so they would know about his kind also. As well as those, he included a few books on human anatomy, archaeology and ancient ruins, as well as one on basic to advanced astrophysics, which he had only begun recently. It was very unusual reading material for a fifteen year old, but apparently it had been decided by his 'teachers' that he was ready for new levels recently.

_They'll be tough to read, but worth it. If I pay attention to the real experts that go, I can learn a lot. And I don't want to feel like a useless burden, so…_

The possession of the ATA gene was his key reason for having been chosen, but he intended to add to that reason as much as possible.

If they were able to make a stable connection, the team would depart in three weeks, but Harry was so giddy he couldn't help but pack immediately.

Finally, after debating on _Intermediate Transfiguration_ for a full half hour, he threw it in the 'ignore' pile beside his bed. When the time came, he would have to find room for additional clothes – including his invisibility cloak – and would need more space. With a stifled yawn, he eventually crawled into bed and went to sleep, comforted by the fact that he would soon become the youngest person to travel through the Gate from the planet Earth.

* * *

They say all great men must confront their fears, and although John didn't consider himself 'great', this was that time. He stood in front of the Stargate for the first time, using the weight of his P-90 as a distraction. He was worried something might go wrong, but tried not to show it. Colonel Sumner, his C.O, walked by.

"Just remember, major," he said, "I didn't ask for you to be here."

"Well, sir, I'm sure you'll warm up to me once you get to know me," Sheppard replied with humour.

"So long as you remember who's giving the orders. Got it?"

"Yes, sir," Sheppard replied, before grinning to himself. "That would be Dr. Weir, wouldn't it?"

Sumner looked at him with a neutral expression, allowing a few men to ensure his pack was secure. Eventually he looked away, towards the boy in the centre.

"And you should remember to do exactly what you're told," he said sternly. "We don't need you getting in the way."

Harry gulped at that, then scratched his head. "If I do, just shoot me. That should make your problems go away."

Sheppard chuckled and winked at him, and Harry felt relief coursing through his veins. Sumner merely raised his eyebrows and ventured away to inspect some equipment.

In his three weeks of training, Harry hadn't actually stepped through the Gate. Instead, they taught him about low and high pressure environments, which might be needed on other planets. Additionally, there were procedures involving zero gravity, which he adapted to very quickly, enjoying the feeling more than most other people would.

Other planets! He was so excited that he almost felt hyper. The good news was that he had grown friendly with some of the other personnel, notably Major Sheppard, who assured him that he would keep an eye on him. As well as that, there was Lieutenant Ford, Dr. Beckett and even McKay, who was brash, arrogant, yet strangely comical at times. So he would never be left feeling lonely.

"Okay, did you pack any citrus with that?" McKay asked, inspecting the cafeteria staff nearby.

Harry smiled and looked up at the Control Room. General O'Neill was up there, and so was his mother. She had come to see him off, and was currently speaking with O'Neill about something. Harry knew she was distracting herself on purpose. Suddenly, he realised that Weir had left the room, which could only mean they were ready to go.

His guess was correct. She entered the room, wearing a similar uniform to everybody in the room. Harry was also dressed in the blue attire of the Atlantis expedition, with the emblem on both shoulders of his jacket. He, unlike everybody else, asked to not have a flag displayed. He had been born in England, but raised in the USA, and didn't feel like worrying himself over something so trivial.

Weir walked to the ramp and called for attention. The chatter faded, and the men and women in the Control Room watched as she addressed the expedition team. It was a big moment, Harry knew. She was the leader of this expedition, even though Sumner could overrule her on military matters. Her first speech to the other members needed to display confidence, not to mention competence.

"Okay, everyone, we are about to try and establish a connection. We've been unable to determine exactly how much power this will require and may only get one chance at this. So if we obtain a lock, we're not going to risk shutting the Gate down. We're going to send the MALP, determine viability and go. Everything in one shot."

Harry looked around, and saw that everybody gave her their undivided attention. He turned back again.

"Every one of you has volunteered for this mission. You all represent over a dozen countries. You are the world's best and brightest; and in light of what we are about to embark upon, you are also the bravest. I hope we all arrive safely, and can return someday having discovered a whole new realm for humanity to explore. But, as you all know, we may never be able to return home."

Oh, Harry knew that alright. They had deliberately pounded every person with that particular piece of information in training, in an effort to weed out any who couldn't cope. Harry's resilience was only reinforced by his increased determination as a result.

"I'd like to offer you all one last chance to withdraw your participation," Weir said.

Nobody moved, and she smiled.

"Begin the dialing sequence," she said to the Control Room, before stepping away from the ramp. Harry saw her quickly walk back upstairs, no doubt to monitor readings beside the Gate technicians and O'Neill. The alarms began to sound, and Harriman shouted:

"Chevron one encoded."

Harry quickly checked his equipment, sounding off a mental list he had made the previous day.

_Books… wand… cloak… spare clothes… toiletries… emergency rations… survival gear… yadda yadda…_

"Chevron two encoded."

His excitement began to rise once more.

"Chevron three encoded."

Adrenaline pumped through his veins.

"Chevron four encoded."

He watched the symbols on the Gate light up systematically, marveling at the technology. It was breathtaking.

"Chevron five encoded."

He looked towards the Control Room, and saw Weir standing beside McKay.

"Chevron six encoded."

Weir was just as excited, and almost felt like a little girl again.

"Please, doctor, you're embarrassing me," she said to Rodney breathlessly.

"I've never been so excited in my entire life," he replied stiffly, observing the scene below.

"Chevron seven encoded."

Harry felt his heart racing, and turned to face the Stargate once more. He couldn't hear what they were saying, but knew every person in both rooms was just as apprehensive as he now felt. Finally, after a momentary eternity, Harriman's voice sounded out once more, sounding delighted.

"Chevron eight is locked!"

The Stargate unleashed its kawoosh, before forming its normal 'puddle'. The entire room burst into cheers and applause, to which Harry enthusiastically joined in. With a command from Weir, the MALP robot probe slowly moved forward. Harry eyed its progress, which seemed dastardly slow. With a slight 'flump', it disappeared through the event horizon.

No one dared to breathe for a few moments, before Sumner started to walk up the ramp.

"Okay, let's go, people!" he shouted. "We don't know how much power we have, so security teams one and two will lead. All others will follow when we report back that it's secure! Ensure the debarkation area is cleared at all times. Okay, let's move out," he said to the men beside him.

Before he could leave, however, Weir suddenly reappeared.

"Hold it, colonel! We go through together," she said, shouldering a large backpack.

"Fair enough," he replied.

Harry watched as they stepped through the Gate together, Weir stopping only to nod at someone in the Control Room. That was General O'Neill, he assumed. They were followed swiftly by a group of marines, led by Sergeant Bates.

General O'Neill's voice rang out: "expedition team, move out."

With his position in the queue, Harry was next to go, along with Ford and Sheppard. The two men paused at the Gate, Sheppard feeling mild trepidation.

"How does it feel?" he asked calmly.

"Hurts like hell, sir," Ford replied, looking morose.

Harry was alarmed at that. No one had ever mentioned that it hurt! He almost choked when Ford's face split into a broad grin at his and Sheppard's expressions, before jumping backwards through the Gate.

"Woo hoo!"

Harry had to laugh, whereas Sheppard merely screwed his eyes shut tightly, and stepped through. Harry paused and glanced at the Control Room for one, last time. His mother was standing there, and waved at him. He briefly returned the gesture, unsure of how else to respond.

Then, taking a deep breath, feeling the comfort of his wand, he stepped through the veil.

Space and time seemed to bend around him. His life force whooshed through the numbing expanse of the universe itself. His mind was taken apart and then put back together again, and a dazzling blue life masked his vision, obscuring his ability to even think.

Suddenly, he was standing in a large room, dimly lit by a few lights around the walls. The others were in front of him, holding torches or flashlights on their P-90s. Luckily, he had a substitute.

"_Lumos!"_

The tip of his wand lit up brightly, throwing the room into greater perspective. Dr. Weir nodded when she saw him, and Harry returned the motion. Slowly, he stepped forward a bit, marvelling in the sight before him. The room was lavishly decorated with Ancient designs; that is, it was unmistakably Ancient in its creation. A set of stairs led to a room above, most likely their version of a Control Room. The pristine floor was coloured a healthy-looking brown, although the Gate was casting a blue tinge across its surface. The walls and stairs with likewise coloured, with the notable exception being the lights that masked their colour.

And the lights started to activate everywhere across the room. They adorned the front of each step, along with many aesthetic designs covering the walls.

"Who's doing that?" Weir asked curiously.

Sumner inquired of his teams regarding any alien contact, but Sheppard solved the mystery simply.

"The lights are coming on by themselves," he said, walking up the steps beside McKay, who had just arrived. Harry was vaguely aware of other people arriving, and hurried to clear the area. He decided to stick with Sheppard and McKay for the time being, and carefully followed them up the stairs. Every step he took, he moved his wand in a different direction, entranced by what he could see.

With both interest and caution, he slowly walked through this new Control Room, examining the consoles quietly as McKay lifted sheets off of them. Many of them were the same colour as the surrounding area, and were designed for easy use in a standing position. Upon each were etched dozens of different controls with Ancient symbols adorning them. They lit up when approached, glowing an orangey-yellow colour.

Over the headset he had been given, Harry heard Weir speak to O'Neill for the last time.

"General O'Neill, Atlantis base offers greetings... from the Pegasus Galaxy. You may cut power to the Gate."

A moment later, the Gate shut down, but not before a bottle of champagne rolled through. Harry realised that was it. There was no way back now.

_Well, Harry, here you are. I hope you knew what you were asking for..._ he thought.

Weir joined them in the Control Room without Harry noticing, and he jumped a tiny bit when she tapped his arm.

"Relax," she said, smiling brightly. "We're safe here."

"Yeah," he replied, starting to brighten up again. He grinned and walked over towards McKay. "This place is incredible," he said out loud.

"Hmm..." McKay agreed without speaking. "I'm assuming this is their Control Room. This is obviously their version of a DHD," he announced, uncovering the console beside him.

"Oh, obviously(!)" Sheppard said with mild sarcasm. He walked towards the console elevated higher than the others, and it came to life automatically. He threw his hands up in resignation, still holding the P-90. "I didn't touch anything."

"Don't worry, major," Weir said. Harry remarked at how calm she was being compared to the rest of her team, who had now begun to spread out and explore the surrounding area with unimaginable excitement. This was the grandest voyage in human history, after all. "It's as if the whole facility senses our presence and is coming to life."

"_Dr. Weir. Colonel Sumner. Could you join me, please? I'm currently three levels below the Gate Room."_

"Right away," Weir replied, and motioned to Sheppard.

"Coming, Harry?" Sheppard asked.

Harry nodded and followed them down a set of stairs nearby. If the staircase was this narrow and continued down for a large number of floors, he could assume this was some type of tower, and told his companions his opinion.

"Quite... astute," Sheppard said with pride, and Weir agreed.

They found Colonel Sumner standing waiting. "We've only been able to secure a fraction of the place. It's huge."

"And... and can we be sure it's Atlantis?" Harry asked.

"I'd say that's a good bet," Sumner nodded, leading them to a large window.

"Oh my god," Weir breathed in amazement, and Harry was inclined to agree. The view was spectacular, although it wasn't because of any landmarks. The entire city – and it was definitely so massive that it must be a city – was submerged beneath the water. On sight were dozens of other towers and buildings, and he knew what Sumner had meant by 'a fraction.' There was no way they could strategically inhabit every building in this place. It would probably take months, if not years, just to explore it safely.

"I'd say we're under several hundred feet of ocean," Sumner said with wisdom. "If we can't dial out this could be a huge problem."

Harry looked upwards, and distantly spotted the surface of the ocean that had swallowed them whole. "How is the city intact?" he asked with confusion.

McKay, who had just joined them, fumbled with that question as he stared in amazement. "It's... uh... a force field. There's... a force field holding back the water. And... well, that _is_ impressive, isn't it...? Uh... Doctor Beckett has found something you should all see."

Somehow managing to tear himself reluctantly from the phenomenal sight, Harry followed McKay along with the others, taking in every sight he could. The corridors all followed a similar design pattern to each other, but that didn't dilute their impressiveness or magnitude. He took a key notice in three blue crystals beside each door, placed in vertical slots one after the other. When they reached their destination, McKay quickly swiped his palm along the crystals, and the doors slid open.

Harry thought it was brilliant. Point in fact, he hadn't found or seen one single thing in this city so far that couldn't be labelled as 'brilliant, amazing' or 'incredible.' Inside the room, Carson was standing behind a control panel, watching something unusual with awe. It was a woman, dressed all in white, speaking of 'new life' on the worlds discovered in this galaxy. Although Carson told them it was a hologram, Harry knew just from looking at her that she was an Ancient, through intuition alone.

Silently, they listened as she spoke of peaceful exploration of the Pegasus Galaxy, until suddenly her mood shifted. Harry felt chills travel up and down his spine as she spoke of a terrible enemy, with powers that rivalled those of her people. They greatly outnumbered the Ancients, and destroyed every settlement in-turn, until only Atlantis remained. Finally, she ended on a sad note, speaking of how the Ancients submerged the city to protect it, before finally travelling back to Earth through the Stargate.

As Grodin rushed into the room and whispered urgently in Rodney's ear, Carson said:

"Let's watch it from the beginning again, shall we?"

"Stop!" McKay half-shouted. "Power levels throughout the city are dropping like a stone!"

"What are you saying?" Sumner demanded.

"That if we don't stop what we're doing right now, we are dead!"

Harry felt panicked by this outburst and hurried to keep pace as McKay ran to the Control Room, while ignoring Weir's questions. He stopped, breathless, beside one of the consoles, which somebody had wired to a laptop. He began working frantically, though Harry couldn't say what he was doing. He held his peace.

"Please, please tell me this isn't my fault," Carson said desperately, approaching him with his hands clasped together.

McKay rolled his eyes. "No," he said with irritation. "From what we can tell, the city is powered by three Zero Point Modules. Two of those are entirely depleted and the third is approaching maximum entropy. When it does, we're completely screwed."

"How come?" Weir asked.

"Because the shield has collapsed to its minimal sustainable levels. Look here," he said, pointing at two sections on the screen. Harry took a quick glance, noting the layout of the city. There was the main body, and five separate legs, one of which was partially larger than the other four. It was also joined to another through a medium sized pier. The two sections McKay was referring to were glowing red, both located on the outer edges of the city.

"What are we looking at?" Sumner asked.

"In these two areas, the shield has already failed and flooding has begun. It could have happened years ago, but the shield is still weakening exponentially. This area is more protected because of the Stargate, I guess," McKay explained.

"What if it fails completely?" Sheppard asked with worry in his voice.

"It's a matter of 'when', not 'if'," McKay said.

"Colonel, you need to order your teams to fall back to the Gate Room immediately," Weir told the military commander.

"That won't be good enough!" McKay said.

"How much time to we have?" she asked him.

"Hours, maybe a couple of days if we severely limit power expenditure. But still, we need to leave; the sooner we do, the longer that shield will hold."

"Abandon the city?" she replied, dumbstruck.

Harry tightened the grip on his now extinguished wand, unconsciously drowning out their conversation. If what he figured was correct, this was the only Gate that could dial Earth. If it was lost... They couldn't search for ZPMs without weakening the shield even more than they had already done, which only left one option. Sheppard seemed to have been thinking the same thing.

"What about somewhere in this galaxy?" he asked.

"Well... that's relatively easy," McKay said thoughtfully. "At the very least, we need to find somewhere safe while we search for more ZPMS."

"I'll take it," Sumner said. He activated his headset. "Lieutenant Ford, gather security teams one and two, and meet me at the Gate."

"Major, I'd like you to go along," Weir said.

"I should go too," Harry said suddenly.

All heads turned to him, even Sumner's.

"Dr. Jackson taught me Ancient, so I can probably speak and read it better than anybody else here. If you need something translated, like instructions to find a ZPM, I can help."

"Is that true?" Sumner asked Weir.

"Well, I'm not lying," Harry protested, and she nodded in agreement.

"Fine, you can come," Sumner said, turning away. "Just stay behind us and don't get in the way. Sheppard, he's your responsibility."

"Yes, sir." Sheppard patted Harry gently on the back, as if to reassure him.

Harry took a look down at the Gate. He was possibly cut-off from Earth, his mother, and everybody he had ever known. The city might be destroyed by the ocean at any time, and now he had volunteered to search for an Ancient power source, which would probably be a very dangerous task. He wasn't frightened, but determined. Dimly, he noticed the pain in his scar, which had started a few weeks ago, had vanished since he set foot in the city. That was some good news, at least.

Still, all he needed now was to encounter that all-powerful enemy the hologram had spoken of, and it really would have turned out to be one hell of a day.

**A:N - Unfortunately, my break from school ends today. I won't be able to fire out chapters as quickly as I have been from here-on-in (at least until I finish on June 10th), but I'll hopefully be able to update twice a week ****at the very least. Thanks.**


	5. Chapter Four - The Wraith

**Chapter Four – The Wraith**

Upon discovering that McKay's chosen planet was currently in its night cycle, Sumner's team equipped the night vision goggles they had taken along. Harry would have used his wand, but Sumner insisted.

"That thing's light will give us away. Take the NVGs, and use them instead. They're less noticeable," he said with a surprising amount of patience.

Harry nodded and equipped the goggles, marvelling in the design. They were clunky and heavy, but when worn, the entire area was illuminated in a dark green. They also had an adjustable scope, so were more of a cross between goggles and binoculars than anything.

Much more quickly than on Earth, the Gate was dialled and activated with a similar kawoosh, although Harry's previous excitement had now vanished. It was replaced with a calm determination, a feeling that he must succeed, or everybody would pay the ultimate price.

Sumner pulled the NVGs over his eyes. "Let's move out!"

Both security teams followed his progress, P-90s equipped and loaded. Sheppard paused for a moment, and waved to Weir and McKay above, as if to say 'good luck.' Silently, he strode through the puddle, followed closely by the young wizard.

This time the journey was a great deal quicker due to the much shorter distance. In fact, it was as close to instantaneous as possible, with the previously numbing sensation almost entirely absent. It still felt strange, but much less so.

Harry blinked.

There was a D.H.D. a few steps away, but apart from that, the entire area looked empty, and felt chillingly quiet. In front of them stood a large and ominous forest, blackened by the lack of sunlight. Besides that, the immediate area surrounding the Gate was grassland, and there looked to be no people in sight.

That is, until something small and fast came hurtling out of the woods. Harry instinctively raised his wand, and a few of the marines took aim with their weapons.

"Please, don't hurt us!" one of them said urgently.

_They're children..._ Harry realised suddenly. He lowered his wand again.

The second child, who had ran out of the forest and thrown himself at the other in a playful manner, appeared to be wearing some type of unusual mask. It looked like a badly made Halloween mask, with mouldy skin and flowing white hair. Apart from that, there was no real way to describe it, and it certainly wasn't all that scary.

Suddenly, Sheppard and Ford raised their weapons higher as an adult man came sprinting out of the forest.

"No, please! Don't hurt them!" he shouted, breathless. "They're just playing!"

"Is everything alright here, Sheppard?" Sumner asked, arriving on-scene.

"Yes, sir; just a couple of kids," he replied.

The marines lowered their guns, and the 'alien' man stood up straight. He was taller than everybody present, Harry noticed, and had wavy brown hair that extended almost to his shoulders. He placed a hand on his chest.

"Halling."

"I don't know what that means," Sheppard said confusedly.

"It's his name!" Sumner said with clear annoyance.

"Oh, I see... well, Halling, nice to meet you. I'm Major Sheppard; this is Colonel Sumner, and these are some of our men."

"Are you here to trade?" Halling asked suspiciously.

"Trade? Yes, we're... we're traders."

Somehow, Harry didn't think Sheppard was doing the best job of convincing Halling. He continued to eye them for a moment, most likely intimidated and wary at the same time. Eventually he turned to the two boys behind him, one of whom turned out to be his son.

"Jinto, what have I told you about playing in the forest after dark?" he asked sternly.

"I'm... I'm sorry, father," the smaller boy replied.

"I'm just glad you're safe," Halling replied lowly. His next gesture Harry assumed was a traditional greeting on this planet. Daniel had taught him how every world had their little customs and traditions, each differing from the last. In this case, Halling gently touched his forehead against Jinto's, eyes closed. It was akin to two people bowing to one another simultaneously, and Harry felt something he had never felt before. A blade that seemed to pierce his heart like an icy dagger.

_Father and son..._

* * *

Halling led them to his village a few minutes away. In that time, the Sun had risen remarkably quickly, illuminating the entire area. It would be high in the sky before long. Sheppard's first impression had been incorrect. It was a nice sort of place, quiet and peaceful.

_These people must have a nice life_, he thought with admiration. Exactly the time of thing he wanted after retiring, whenever that would be. Not for many years, in any case.

Harry walked in front of the major, hearing him tell the children about his night vision goggles, and then something called 'the Wraith.' He didn't know what that was, but the word alone sent a shiver down his spine. He tried to forget about his earlier feeling, but it wasn't so easy.

The village was little more than a primitive grouping of hovels, with children seen playing and women seen washing clothes are talking together. For the most part, the men were either crafting with wood gathered, or out gathering it themselves. Halling led them to a larger hut than the rest, and Harry did his best to ignore the mysterious looks directed their way.

They were understandable, of course. How many times had these people ever seen a squad of marines, armed with sub-machine guns and wearing such 'unusual' clothes?

Halling opened the flap of the tent, saying he had brought traders. He motioned for them to enter.

Inside was a relatively comfortable scene. A table occupied the centre, and was lavished with various plates of food – not very large, one noticed. The tent was dimly lit by a few candles on the table, although day was fast approaching, so it didn't matter. Several men sat at the table, as did a woman with flowing red hair. She appeared to have a position of great authority, or else she wouldn't have sat near the top. Her embroidery was slightly finer than that of the women outside, although it was nothing too spectacular in itself. She wore a kind smile on her face, and Harry couldn't help but notice it accentuated her very pretty looks.

She stood when they entered, and Halling walked over to her.

"These men wish to trade," he announced, not making it sound believable at all. Her smile dropped a little at his tone, not that Sheppard noticed.

"Hi, it's, uh, nice to meet you," he said confidently, smiling and removing his NVGs. Harry would have laughed at him flattening his hair anxiously, if the situation hadn't been so serious.

"I am Teyla Emmagan, daughter of Tagan," she said, in a rich voice.

"Major John Sheppard. This is Colonel Sumner, Lieutenant Ford, and Harry Potter. We have very few specific needs."

"We do not trade with strangers," she announced sullenly, and Sumner frowned.

"Is that a fact?" he asked sarcastically.

She looked at him, clearly not intimidated. "Yes, it is. We dare not risk trading with people we do not trust. It's the only way we can survive."

"Well then, I guess we just have to get to know each other better," Sheppard said cheerfully. "Me... uh... I like college football, Ferris wheels, and anything that goes over two hundred miles per hour."

"Sir, that's not going to mean anything to them," Ford whispered.

"Feel free to speak up, lieutenant. I'm only trying to break the ice here," Sheppard muttered, without taking his gaze off Teyla.

Harry raised his eyebrows at Sumner, as if to say: 'well? Aren't you going to help?' Sumner shook his head, and strode out of the tent.

"That man is a lot of work," Harry said quietly.

* * *

Rodney and Grodin walked into Weir's office calmly, although the former felt nothing like 'calm and relaxed'. It was a dire situation, not helped by him forgetting to take his daily three or four cups of coffee that morning. He didn't see the point of her making an office for herself; not now, when they would have to leave anyway.

"Tell me some good news, Rodney," she half-asked.

He shook his head. "I can't do that. We're using more power than I'd previously anticipated."

"The shield has held back the ocean for centuries!" she said desperately, burying her forehead in her hands.

"I know, and it would have done for years more, but our arrival changed that, Elizabeth. Now it's nothing but a thin shell between the buildings and the ocean. As well as that, stopping exploration did just about nothing. The damage was already done."

"Is there nothing we can do?" she finally asked.

She was answered by a great rumbling noise, that seemed to come from the city itself.

"Oh, great," Rodney muttered, frantically taking out his tablet. He shook his head. "No, look here. Another section of the shield has already failed. We have to leave the second Sumner reports back that it's safe."

* * *

Surprisingly, Sumner re-entered the tent just as Harry and the two men finished drinking the tea that Teyla had offered them. He hadn't been gone for more than a few minutes, so it must have been important.

"Sheppard, Mr. Potter, get your gear. Ford, report back to the Gate and contact Weir. Tell her we found some Ancient ruins that look promising. We're going to go check them out."

"Yes, sir," Ford said, departing with a nod.

Teyla and Halling looked startled at this revelation. "The City of the Ancestors is not safe!" she exclaimed.

"We can take care of ourselves," Sumner dismissed.

"The Wraith will come," Halling said dramatically.

Harry stopped thinking and looked around. He had been listing some potential defensive spells that might be needed, but now... Jinto mentioning them, Halling and Teyla clearly terrified of them, and now 'they would come' if they entered an Ancient city? Harry was smart enough to put two and two together, but this one was obvious.

"Who are these Wraith?" Sheppard asked confusedly.

Teyla was even more shocked at this question. She exchanged a quick look with Halling, and his face reflected hers.

"We have never met anyone who did not know."

"Well, you have now," Sumner said bluntly.

"They're the enemy the hologram spoke of," Harry announced lowly. Sumner and Sheppard looked at him, and the colonel motioned for them to go outside.

Once they were out of earshot, Sumner's questions began.

"Okay, how can you possibly know that?"

Harry shrugged. "It's obvious, isn't it? They're terrified of those... _things_, whatever they are. It just seems too far-fetched to _not_ be the truth," he added.

"Meaning what?" Sumner demanded.

"Well, if I'm wrong, there are two strange creatures that terrify the galaxy, and one is bad enough, colonel. I know what the Goa'uld did to the Milky Way, and I'm assuming you served when they were still a threat, so you do too. If this race was powerful enough to defeat the Ancients... they must be far worse," he finished with a deadly flourish.

"Maybe they're just some... messed up creatures that scare the crap out of the people on this planet," Sheppard suggested.

"Either way we can't assume they're not a threat," Sumner said with a military viewpoint. "If Harry's right, then we need a good defensible position. I don't care what these people say about that city. I believe in technology, not superstition."

He checked the sky above him. "Day seems to pass quickly here, so I'm going over there now. You two stay here and keep them from worrying. I'll check-in in an hour. Bates, ready your squad to move out!" he shouted over his shoulder.

"Yes, sir!"

"Good luck, colonel," Harry said neutrally, to which Sumner inclined his head in thanks.

"Well, back to playing nice for the lovely lady," Harry smirked at Sheppard once Sumner had left.

"Hey, I'm a nice person," Sheppard said with mock affront.

"Too nice in her company for my liking. I think I'll head back to the Gate for a while."

"The colonel said to stay put," Sheppard reminded him.

"I know... but I wouldn't want to cramp your style," he replied, totally making fun of the poor major.

"Alright, wise ass. Just get back in there, okay?"

Harry did so and the four of them continued to make conversation. Teyla and Halling inquired as to how they didn't know about the Wraith, and they replied that their world was much too far away to have done so. For the most part Harry let Sheppard talk. He felt tired. A lot had happened in the past few hours, and his early start that morning and previously late night didn't help.

Suddenly, he felt himself beginning to fall asleep on his chair...

_He was at home once more, helping his mother as she prepared dinner. Their conversation was broken, as though he caught some words but missed others entirely. Suddenly, the front door exploded with tremendous force. He instantly reached for his wand, but didn't even touch it when he felt his body slam up against the nearest wall. _

_Out of the corner of his eye, Janet lay dead at his feet, pieces of wood from the door impaling her neck and chest. Blood bubbled from the wounds, and he felt his heart throb in anguish. _

"_No!" he screamed._

_A cold, high laugh filled his ears. There was a flash of green light..._

"Kid, come on! Wake up!"

Harry's eyes snapped open. His entire body seemed to twitch violently for a moment before relaxing. Still, his mind was racing. The sounds of screaming and panic filled the air.

One of the marines, Stackhouse, stood in front of him, shaking him awake.

"Come on, we have to go!" he shouted urgently.

Harry jumped to his feet and drew his wand without even thinking about doing so. Stackhouse hastily shoved himself through the tent's opening, and Harry imitated his action. Around him people of all ages were running for their lives, many crying. Some of the huts were on fire.

"What the hell's going on?" Harry demanded, grabbing Stackhouse's arm.

He wrenched it away. "We're under attack! Three alien ships came through the Gate and started blasting everything!"

Harry felt himself shiver internally. Was he still awake?

_Well, it looks like I'll be getting that day after all..._

Roaring like a malicious beast, one of the ships flew overhead. Harry twisted his head, his eyes locked to its trail. It was hard to tell at such incredible speed, but it appeared to be shaped a little like an isosceles triangle, coated with an ominous shade of purple. The front of it clearly stuck out, appearing like a long, narrow spike. He could say nothing more.

Suddenly, it looped around, coming back for another pass.

"Oh, crap, it can see us," Harry muttered urgently.

"Let's go!" Stackhouse shouted, grabbing him. The two of them ran in the direction of the trees, the marine anxiously firing sporadically at the incoming hostile. At one point, he might have hit it – sparks seemed to fly off the front – but to no visible damaging effect. When it came lower, both of them dived in front of the trees for cover.

Then, all hell broke loose. The ship broke its stride and began to dive towards the village. Before pulling up, it unleashed a volley of deadly blue energy blasts. Harry could only watch as the hovels and tents they hit were engulfed in a bath of flames. That wasn't the worst thing, however...

One of the blasts struck the ground directly in front of a young man fleeing the scene in terror. Harry didn't even manage to call out before he was hit. It wasn't direct, but close enough that he was lifted off his feet and flung into a nearby tree. Harry rushed to his aid, but nearly threw up when he saw the burns and smoking wounds covering the native's body and face. Without doubt, he was dead. Gruesomely.

Harry felt a burning anger course threw his body like a rasping poison. The mud and scratches from his dive added to the effect. Stackhouse looked worried as he ran over.

"Leave it, Harry!"

Harry ignored him and stared at the body, seething. Whatever these things worse, they were definitely as bad, if not worse, than the Goa'uld. Now he understood the fear of the villagers.

"Kid, come on!"

"Stackhouse, what's happening here?" Sheppard demanded, as he sprinted towards them, steely determination expressing his rage in a different manner. He stopped as he saw the body, and exchanged a look with the marine, who shook his head. Sheppard sighed in frustration.

"Harry," he began, crouching down beside him, "those ships are coming back. Two of them fired some kind of beam and took Colonel Sumner, along with Teyla and a few others! This other one hasn't, but we have to leave in case it decides to. Come on!" he shouted, lifting Harry to his feet.

Harry shook himself and returned to reality, growling in anger. In the distance, the ship turned again.

"Stackhouse, get ready to take that thing down!" Sheppard ordered.

Stackhouse readied the Javelin he was carrying, aiming it in the direction of the ship that was rapidly whirring in their direction.

"No, wait!" Harry shouted. "I've got this," he said with determination, standing straight. He raised his wand and pointed it in the desired location.

"Can you hit it?" Sheppard demanded, but Harry ignored him.

As the ship got dangerously close, Stackhouse looked to Sheppard for orders, but before he could speak, Harry made a sudden flick with his wrist, shouting:

"_Expulso!" _

The spell hit its mark well. It wasn't inch perfect, but one of the wings exploded just as the ship began a downward trajectory. Unfortunately, it was now out of control, and that 'whirring' sound grew much louder.

"Oh, crap!" Sheppard shouted. "Move!"

The three of them sprinted to one side and dived to the ground just as the enemy ship plummeted to ground. Its angle wasn't steep enough for collateral damage, so it smashed through the nearby trees and propelled itself to the ground, pieces of debris flying in every direction.

They quickly ran to the crash site, examining the ruined craft. Harry couldn't tell what was what. The soldiers raised their weapons as the cockpit seemed to dematerialise, and Harry pointed his wand directly at it.

The creature inside was humanoid, but a repulsive variation. It had skin halfway between a sickly white and pale green, with scars covering its face. A mouthful of huge, brown teeth leered at them, and flowing white hair covered its shoulders. It wore some type of black outfit.

"Don't even think about moving!" Sheppard said.

It probably couldn't have, in any case. It looked like the crash had broken every bone in its body. Its spine was twisted and its arms mangled in multiple directions. Somehow, miraculously, it managed to stretch out a hand and slam it onto a button inside the ship just as the trio reached the wreckage. A menacing beeping began to sound, and they saw a red light flashing inside, as the Wraith laughed forebodingly.

Not for the first time, Sheppard shouted: "run!"

Harry turned and began to move, but the ship exploded before he had gotten far. If he had been any closer, the flames would have caught him, but as it was, he caught the tail-end of the explosion. The force of the blast lurched his body forward and threw him into a tree, where he slumped to the ground. It didn't do any lasting damage, he hoped, but it hurt like hell-fire and damnation itself.

Blinking slowly, he saw Sheppard rush towards him.

The last thing he heard before passing out was Sheppard signalling Ford to dial the Gate.


	6. Chapter Five - Awakening

**Chapter Five – Awakening**

Rodney lowered the Gate's shield mechanism as Ford's IDC was relayed to his computer. He, along with most people in the room, was shocked to see Sheppard and Stackhouse rush through, each with an arm of Harry's around their shoulders. Even more than that, they were flanked by dozens of indigenous people from the planet. Ford stepped through and Rodney deactivated the Gate, whilst Weir ran down the stairs.

"Get Beckett up here now!" Sheppard shouted through his headset.

Weir ran to meet him. "Major Sheppard, who are all these people? We're in no position to help anyone!"

Sheppard opened his mouth to answer, but was interrupted by a deafening rumbling that seemed to emanate from the city itself.

"What the hell's going on?" Sheppard asked.

"We're abandoning the city before the shield fails! Rodney, dial it back up!" she shouted at the scientist in the Control Room.

"I wouldn't do that if I was you!" Sheppard told him. "Going back there is a really bad idea!"

"Why, what happened?" Weir demanded urgently.

"We were attacked," Sheppard grunted, as he lowered Harry onto the emergency bed Carson brought out.

"Oh, Lord," he muttered. "Major, I'm afraid we're evacuating everywhere, including where I set-up the infirmary. There's nothing there!"

"It won't matter if that shield fails," Sheppard said with determination. "Jinto! Do you have anywhere else for us to go?"

"Yes, many worlds!"

"Good," he said, grabbing the young boy's arm and rushing him towards the Control Room.

"He's just a boy!" Weir exclaimed.

"I am Jinto," he said, placing a hand on his chest.

"She's pleased to meet you!"

Rodney saw that the entire outline of the base began to glow red, and warning letters flashed across the screen.

'SHIELD FAILURE IMMINENT.'

"Grodin!" Rodney shouted, snapping his fingers.

"We're dialling it now!" he said, as the din of the city grew ever more vocal.

"No, wait!"

Weir looked at the bed nearby, and saw that Harry was now sitting upright. He jumped to his feet and ran to one of the windows. He had obviously seen something, so she followed him. Outside, the water bubbled with a vicious intensity around the city, which appeared to be rising off the seabed.

"He's right," Weir said, astonished. It looks like the Ancients had thought of shield failure as a possibility, and hadn't decided it was an issue worth losing their magnificent city over.

"We're moving!" Sheppard exclaimed, as the entire room began to shake from side to side. Hastily, everybody present fell to the ground, crouching, to ensure stability.

"Sir, maybe you should move from there," Sergeant Markham suggested, but Sheppard was already descending the stairs before he had finished, Jinto at his side. He didn't want to fall down them and risk a broken neck. Sunlight began to pour in through the windows, throwing the room into its original, beautiful state.

Weir laughed with joy, and Harry was grinning widely, looking out the window. His head may have been throbbing painfully, but that was nothing. Not now. Sheppard walked over and slapped him on the back hard, laughing as he did so.

Harry stared out across the calm, aesthetically pleasing waters. A small wave reverberated in all directions away from the city.

The view would have calmed any man, whether blinded by rage or terrified. For him, that fearful side was now gone; the last vestige of his childish innocence had been obliterated by the gaping mouth of the Wraith's blood-lust. The second he had seen that body, he had changed forever. He was never cowardly, just young and naturally filled with trepidation at becoming a man, and this had manifested itself into seeming displays of visual fear and nervousness. Now that change had been forced upon him wholly, he would never be that way again.

"I asked for a day, but it looks like we just got a whole lot more than that," Weir told them happily.

Before walking to the Control Room, she announced that they would _not_ be abandoning Atlantis, and that everybody could return to making themselves at home, beaming as she did so. Sheppard and Harry followed her, both of them looking to find out about Sumner and the others, whilst Ford was left to help with clearing equipment.

Sheppard paused, and then withdrew something from the inside of his jacket.

"Here you go, doc," he told Carson. "Early Christmas present."

Beckett recoiled when he held out the Wraith arm that Stackhouse had found lying on the ground. Clearly those things took a lot to kill, Harry realised. The doctor called for one of his more junior associates to take the arm to the infirmary and put it on ice.

"I take it that's the thing that attacked you? Well, I'll have the wee bugger examined."

Carson wasn't at all pleased with Harry being up and about, but he reassured the doctor by using a simple spell, one which cleared the cuts and scrapes from his head and stopped his skull from pounding like a drumbeat.

"_Percuro!" _

Pure relief washed through his body as the pain faded. It was the best that he could do when it came to healing. Major healing spells, such as those used to mend broken bones, draw poison, soothe first degree burns and others, were all far beyond his current level. Unfortunately, he wouldn't be much help in the infirmary just yet, but that wasn't why he was chosen to go anyway.

Carson wasn't truly satisfied until he closely examined Harry himself, checking for open wounds and shining a light onto his pupils to ensure he bore no sign of a possible concussion.

"Fine, you can go," he said finally. "But your face was covered in blood, wee man. You're lucky it wasn't more serious."

Harry quickly ascended the steps to the Control Room and found the three 'elders' in deep discussion about the power situation.

"On the surface without a shield? We're target practice!"

"Yes, major, I'm acutely aware of that, but thank you for reminding me," McKay said irately.

"Is there any way for us to locate Colonel Sumner?" Harry asked him, joining them.

"I don't know, maybe. The Gate address Ford observed has hundreds of potential permutations-"

"Seven hundred and twenty," Sheppard cut-in.

"What? Yes... I knew that. I'm just surprised you did."

"Just get rid of any coordinates you can't get a lock on," Sheppard ordered. "When you find the right address, radio me and send a M.A.L.P."

McKay walked away to begin his work, and Weir turned to Harry.

"Harry, this will probably take quite a while, and I need to have a private word with the major here. You should go and get settled – Bates will show you some of the best quarters we've found, and then get some food and rest. You look exhausted."

Harry glanced at Sheppard, who nodded. "Don't worry; I'll contact you when McKay finds something useful."

* * *

"Well, here you are," Bates said, somewhat stiffly.

The room was about the same size as his old bedroom had been, with all the necessary drawers and counters already there. The double-bed looked wonderfully comfortable, and he was almost tempted to fall asleep there and then. He threw his backpack down on top of it, and Bates turned to leave.

"Sergeant Bates?" Harry asked, and he turned his head back slightly. "I know you were close to Sumner, so I just wanted to say I'm sorry. But we'll get him back, and all of the others too."

"Kid, I've been a marine for over ten years. I know that'll we do everything we can better than you, so don't _you_ worry. Got it?"

Harry nodded, unsure if that was hostile or not.

"Good," he said, more friendly. "If you have any problems, come to see me. I'm in charge of security until the colonel returns."

And he left.

Harry unpacked all of his clothes and equipment slowly. He was given an extra set of two expedition uniforms, and had brought his own undergarments and socks along. He quickly sorted everything out, dying to get some food from the mess hall, which Bates had informed him was situated on the Western Pier.

Eventually he started to make his way there, stopping only to greet a few people on the way there. He was glad to have encountered Dr. Radek Zelenka on the way there, the Czech scientist who worked under McKay. On Earth Harry had quickly realised this wasn't something he liked to be reminded of, and so had decided never to bring it up again.

"That is the true beauty of this place," he was saying in a relatively think Czech accent. "When the shield was collapsing, everybody started to panic. But, I always knew something would happen to save us."

"You did?" Harry asked, raising his eyebrows. They walked and talked simultaneously.

"Hmm, yes... I didn't know what exactly, and obviously I had no proof, but... I didn't think for one second the Ancients wouldn't have thought of shield collapse... well, I am just glad the city was not totally destroyed."

"Yeah, that makes two of us..." Harry said, trailing off.

They reached the mess hall, which had been clearly in place before arrival. Dozens of tables and chairs littered the room in a slightly mismatched fashion, and there was a balcony outside which provided a spectacular view of the ocean. The food being served was quite simple until the designated cooks were fully unpacked and equipped.

"Is there any way to check out the planet?" Harry asked, taking a bowl of vegetable soup and two cheese and tomato sandwiches, with a bottle of water to drink. Part of signing the agreement for the expedition was the knowledge that food supplies would be limited, and that which was available would be as healthy as possible. Not that he cared much – he was never a fussy eater at all.

"Unfortunately not," Zelenka said, copying him. "We found a few ships in a hangar near the Control Room, but we think they're only for the Gate."

The two of them chose a table and began to eat. Harry was completed famished by now, and eagerly dug in.

"Ships? Like, spaceships?" he asked, feeling greatly excited.

Zelenka nodded. "Hmm... yes, we believe so. But we cannot be certain until... what are you looking at?" he asked curiously, noticing that Harry's attention had suddenly shifted.

The answer sat at a table across the room. An Athosian girl of around fifteen or sixteen sat there with her family, all of them eating quietly. She was probably a little shorter than Harry, with pearly skin and curly brown hair that dropped just below her shoulders. He thought her eyes were dark, possibly a hazel brown, framing her face elegantly. She was easily the most beautiful girl he had ever seen.

Suddenly, she looked at him, surprised for a moment. Then she smiled, displaying perfectly straight and white teeth, undoubtedly an uncommon feature for her people. Harry felt his heart lurch and jump into his throat, and he stared deeply into her eyes for a moment, before hastily shifting his gaze, blushing as if his face was on fire.

"Uh... I think I'll... go and check out those... spaceships," he said hesitantly, finishing the soup quickly. "Below the Control Room, you said?"

Zelenka nodded, smirking at him knowingly.

"Oh, shut up," Harry chastised, although he hadn't spoken. He gathered the last of his food and departed quickly, his thoughts focused firmly on those beautiful, deep eyes.

* * *

Colonel Marshall Sumner had served towards the end of the Vietnamese war, and so was used to brutality at the hands of the enemy. He had spent nearly a month submerged in a rat-infested cage in one of the Vietcong's camps, enduring harsh weather and brutal treatment. He had joined the Stargate Programme years later, fighting as leader of SG-23 against the Goa'uld and Replicators. He had seen men and women die around him, had witnessed the terrifying power of the System Lords and had killed his fair share of the enemy himself.

Nevertheless, this place disturbed him far more than anything he had ever seen throughout his experienced career. The door resembled a metallic spider web, with a worrying mist coating the ground and the cold swirling all around. It was very dark, and everything just seemed to be so... empty and lost. Despite that, he had no fear. He was a leader, and leaders stepped up in situations like this. That was why he was chosen to lead the military in the Atlantis expedition.

He and Teyla stood together in the Wraith cell, whilst Halling sat on a nearby surface, silently praying. The younger Athosian, Toran, was still unconscious.

"Any idea what to expect?" he asked her.

She shook her head. "None."

Halling stood up angrily and glared at him. "We told you this would happen if you ventured into the City of the Ancestors!"

"Your friend told me the Wraith would come," Sumner agreed, purposefully doing so to measure his reaction.

"Perhaps you should have heeded his warning."

"How do I know he's not the one who tipped them off?" Sumner retorted.

Two things happened then. Toran awoke, groaning, and Teyla helped him to his feet. At the same time, a set of heavy footsteps rang out ominously.

"Someone comes," Halling said, sounding frightened.

Some sort of unusual... _creature_ rounded the corner just outside the cell, accompanied by two guards wearing masks and carrying long, staff-like weapons. It had a huge mouthful of brown teeth and silvery flowing hair. It wore a floor-length black coat and walked with a determined expression, glaring ahead relentlessly. The guards were similar in build, except their faces were obscured. The cell door slid open in a creepy manner as they approached the prisoners.

Sumner stepped up, blocking the creature's entry. "I'm Colonel Marshall Sumn-"

The Wraith threw its palm forward with great force and sent Sumner hurtling across the cell, where he collided heavily with the wall. Groaning slightly, he saw the guards grab Toran.

"No, take me instead!" Teyla told them.

"No! We're the ones you want, right?" Sumner asked, standing again. "So take me – I'm their leader."

The Wraith merely sneered at him, letting out a low hissing noise. It turned on its heels and marched off, the guards following it. Sumner made to run for the entrance, but it shut before he could squeeze through.

"Damn it," he said, slamming his hand off of the cell door.

As they dragged him away, Toran looked back with pleading eyes. His screams for help faded only as they walked further away.

* * *

Harry stood in a large room which could only be described as a hangar bay. About half a dozen ships sat on the ground, separated by a few metres of space, whilst another half dozen or so were spread out on the next level, accessibly by a pair of metallic stairwells. They were smaller than he had expected; about eight metres in length and four or so high. All were coloured an olive green, and had many indentations across the hull, looking like they were merely artistic. The ships were irregularly cylindrical in shape, with an upwardly diagonal cockpit and perfectly straight rear hatch forming the front and back respectively.

He felt tingles in his fingers looking at them. This wasn't some Ancient ruin or mismatched piece of information. These were complete, functioning pieces of technology made by the Gate builders themselves, and the insides must have been fascinating beyond belief. He immediately regretted not having any pilot training. With the Ancient gene, he would have loved to fly one, but that was unlikely. Sheppard was the only member of the Air Force on the base, and was certified to fly many different helicopters and fighter jets, so that honour would fall to him.

Harry looked around at the sound of footsteps, and saw that McKay and Sheppard had had the same idea of checking the ships out.

"Ah, good, I was just about to radio you," Sheppard told him. "Only one set of coordinates matches, so that's our Gate."

"When do we leave?" Harry asked.

"Well... there's a little problem. It's in space."

Harry raised his eyebrows. "A 'Space Gate'? I've never heard of that in the Milky Way before."

"Yeah, so we need to figure out how to fly these things," Sheppard said, staring at them in wonder.

McKay pushed a button on a small remote control that he held as they approached one of the ships, and the door lowered itself. Inside, the available room was symmetrical to the exterior design, being quite narrow. There were two sets of benches in the rear compartment, along with many control panels across the walls above them. The forward section had two seats, one on each side, with a homemade D.H.D. in the centre, coloured orange. As Sheppard approached it first, the control panels for flying the ship activated, glowing brightly. Harry noticed that the section of floor directly up the middle appeared to be designed in the form of a grill.

"What's that about?" he asked McKay, pointing it out.

"I'd assume it's where they put the life support system, power storage and weapon storage," he said absent-mindedly.

"Weapon storage?" Sheppard asked, nodding in appreciation. "Nice."

"Yeah... think you can fly it?" McKay asked.

Sheppard grinned mischievously. "Well, there's only one way to find out."

Harry also grinned in response, and took the seat on the right; the one on the left appeared to be for the pilot.

"Yeah... you do that," McKay said quickly, walking off of the ship.

"Okay... let's do this slowly...?" Harry asked cautiously.

Sheppard sat down and smirked at him, feeling like a kid at Christmas time. This was his dream-come-true. He quickly figured out the basics, and lifted the ship off of the ground with simplicity. There were no sticks to account for three-dimensional movement, merely navigational buttons and the apparently present mental component, a common feature in much Ancient technology. Any good pilot could pilot the ship with utmost ease, and many people said he was one of the best. He easily floated them sideways, into the centre of the hangar.

"Why can't I feel anything?" Harry wondered. He probably should have known the answer, but hadn't had time to study everything, especially a topic as complicated as spaceship design.

"Inertial dampeners," Sheppard told him. "Without them you'd be crushed into your seat at high-enough speeds."

McKay took some readings on his tablet, before shouting that he was going to find Weir to show her their plan.

"You know, it'll still be dangerous flying this thing towards the Wraith base," Harry said. "Obviously those smaller ships must have some type of command ship, and it'll probably be big enough to blow us out of the sky."

Sheppard shrugged. "I guess we'll have to find some way to stay off-radar."

His pondering was answered by an audible 'whooshing' sound, and the control interface in front of him beeped.

"Huh. How about that..."

"What is it?" Harry asked, leaning over to see. The Ancient symbols, roughly translated, said:

'CLOAK ENGAGED.'

"Cloak? You mean we're invisible?" Harry asked, thinking of his own invisibility cloak.

Sheppard didn't answer that – it was rhetorical. "You know... you don't have to go with us," he said, looking at Harry.

"You've got to be kidding me."

Sheppard shook his head in response. "You took a big risk on that last planet, and thankfully it paid off. That doesn't mean you'll get lucky twice."

"I didn't come here to sit on the sidelines, major," Harry informed him, agitated. "I want to be out there, especially after seeing what happened to that boy. The hologram said the Wraith do that to everyone they come across, if not worse. I won't sit-by and let that happen. Not when I know I can make a difference."

"And can you?" Sheppard asked.

Harry nodded without hesitating. "I promise that I can. I mean, I have more powerful weapons than anybody else on this base, unless one of you has a laser gun that can shoot a hole in something?"

"I... doubt that."

"And then there's my invisibility cloak," Harry continued, ignoring him. "It's perfect for this type of mission. I give you my word that I'll follow your orders, and won't do anything stupid like I did last time. It was just the adrenaline," he trailed off, looking away.

"I know how you feel," Sheppard said softly. "The first time you see a dead body... you don't forget it. It sticks with you. But if you decide to be out there, on the front lines against these things... well, you should know that there'll probably be a whole lot more."

"I've seen death before," Harry said quietly, thinking of his parents. "I might not be able to remember it, but I've had nightmares before about them dying. Flashes of green light. A cold voice laughing. I know it's him. Voldemort. But I'm ready to deal with it," he said, looking back with determination. "People die all the time naturally, so it's up to us to stop it when it's _unnatural_, right?"

Sheppard nodded. The kid reminded him a lot of himself, back when he was young and just enlisting. Full of optimism that would inevitably diminish, idealism, courage... the whole lot.

Suddenly, McKay re-entered the hangar, with Weir behind him. He looked confused.

"What... they were right there!" he said.

Sheppard disengaged the cloak, leaving the two doctors looking astonished. "You wanted a tactical advantage...?" Sheppard asked invitingly over the intercom.

"Okay, so you can fly that thing. But that doesn't mean you can pull off a rescue," Weir said, staring at the ship in amazement.

"Doctor, this is why you brought me here," Sheppard reminded her. "We have a ship which is invisible to both sight and radar, enough space at the back for a team of marines, and our people are in the hands of the enemy. What more incentive do we need?"

She looked resigned for a moment, and then slowly nodded, somewhat reluctantly, knowing he was right. She couldn't have asked for any better. And Harry's magic was bound to count for something as well, if he would want to go.

"Fine, do what you can to get them back safely. But, major? No unnecessary risks."

* * *

Lieutenant Ford made sure the marines were settled at the rear, telling them to get ready. Then he walked through the forward compartment door and it slid shut. Major Sheppard sat in the pilot's seat, and Harry sat on a chair he had 'conjured', or whatever he had said. Ford took the co-pilot's seat. He grinned as he sat down.

"Gateship One is ready to go."

Sheppard looked appalled. "_Gateship One?_" he asked incredulously. "You mean a little Puddle Jumper like this? No, no, that's all wrong."

"It's a ship that goes through the Gate," Ford sounded it out. "Hence, 'Gateship One'. Besides, McKay thought it was cool."

"McKay thinks Celine Dion is cool," Sheppard informed him. "He can't comment on this ship, or he risks getting hit."

"I couldn't think of anything better," Ford shrugged.

"Okay then, it's official... you never get to name anything. Ever."

Ford ceased smiling and shook his head sadly, whilst Sheppard opened a communications channel between the ship and the Control Room. He grinned as he began speaking.

"Flight, this is... Puddle Jumper. We're ready for launch."

McKay's voice sounded confused. _"Err... this is Flight. I thought we were going with Gateship One?"_

"Negative, Flight. Dial it up, lieutenant."

Ford punched in the Gate address via the Jumper's personalised D.H.D. and suddenly, the roof above the Jumper opened. It automatically began to float upwards, before moving forwards slightly after a few seconds. The floor below them opened, and the ship descended into the Gate Room, the Stargate active in front of them.

"_Be safe," _Weir told them, before the Jumper reached the event horizon.

In a flash, they were flying through space, and Harry looked out in wonder. This was truly the stuff of dreams, not that the Stargate itself wasn't. The dim outline of faraway stars covered the view from the cockpit, aside from the planet directly before them. It looked much the same as Earth, although the lay of the land was certainly different. Sheppard cloaked the ship instantly.

"This is cool," Ford announced, echoing his companions' thoughts.

"Tell you what, lieutenant; a lot of pilots would kill to fly this thing. It's like it just reads your mind..."

As Sheppard finished speaking, a hologram of the planet flashed up above the control interface, superimposed so that one present energy signal was clearly visible. It came from the surface of the planet itself.

"I'm guessing you did that?" Harry queried.

"Yeah, I was just wondering where we go from here," Sheppard said, amazed.

"What about finding them once we land?" Ford asked.

Suddenly, a small rectangular device appeared in an open panel on the side of the cockpit. It had a large screen in the centre. Sheppard took it and put it in his jacket pocket.

"Now I'm thinking about a nice turkey sandwich," he said, looking around.

Nothing happened.

"Ah, worth a shot," Ford said.

They sat in silence for the most part as Sheppard flew down to the surface. Harry was a little worried about gravity upon entering the atmosphere, but then he remembered what Sheppard had said about inertial dampeners. If they ensured the approach was correct, they would be completely safe. The Jumper flew gently to the surface in a few minutes, Sheppard following the energy reading on the heads-up-display. With no internal movement, Harry felt like he was watching a nature movie as they drifted among trees and rocks until they reached a large clearing.

In it sat a huge ship, unlike anything ever before seen. It was at least two and a half kilometres in length and half that amount in width. Somehow, the majority of the hull had been overgrown by the forest around it, which surprised Harry.

"It must have been here for decades for that to happen, maybe even centuries..." he wondered out-loud.

Sheppard nodded at Ford, who walked to the rear compartment.

"Lock and load, boys," he said to the marines.

* * *

Harry, Ford and Sheppard wandered through the hallways of the Wraith base cautiously, following the 'Life Signs Detector', as Ford had named it. Sheppard had ordered the marines to set up a defensive perimeter around the Jumper, in case they had to come in hot. That had left the three of them.

So far, Harry was surprised at how easy this was. The soldiers had shot two guards beside an open entrance to the ship, but that was it. There was no other resistance whatsoever. It was rather unnerving, in truth. The three of them hid as another guard went past, Harry under his invisibility cloak. He had offered to conceal the other two as well, but Sheppard had refused, saying they would move too strenuously.

Harry made a mental note to learn the 'disillusionment charm' as soon as he got back to Atlantis.

"This is too easy," Sheppard whispered. "He's the first one we've seen inside."

Neither of them answered as Sheppard took point, Harry feeling his heart pounding. The structure of the facility – he began to doubt whether it was a ship upon seeing its unpractical design – appeared to be... there was no other word for it: _organic._ The walls and ceiling were moist, as though mildew was prominent. The floor felt very soft, but was obscured by a fine mist swirling around their ankles. It was quite simply peculiar.

"They're right up here," Sheppard whispered.

They approached another turn – the entire complex was designed like a maze. Finding their way out would be difficult, but Harry had thought of that and used the _flagrate _spell to mark the corners with a fiery 'x'.

"Good thinking," Ford said quietly, as they slowly moved forward.

It was fairly dark inside, but they dared not use any light for fear of being detected. The slow movement, weapons drawn, and the sound of the detector beeping occasionally in this small, narrow hallway made Harry think of one thing.

Unfortunately, that thing was the scene from _Aliens _when the marines stumbled upon the nest and were attacked from all directions. He was invisible, but still as alert as possible.

Slowly, they finally approached the cell the detector had drawn them to.

"Teyla!" Sheppard said lowly, walking towards the door quietly.

"Major! How did you find us?" she replied, standing up quickly.

"It's a long story, but we're getting you out of here. Where's the colonel?"

"The Wraith took him," Halling said, stepping forward. "Is my son okay?"

"He's safe and waiting for you," Sheppard reassured. He turned to Ford. "Okay, I can use this to find the colonel," he said, indicating the life signs detector. "Plant some C4 and get these people out on my signal. According to this, there's another cell just down the hallway on the left, first turn. The rest should be in there."

"Wait, let me try something," Harry muttered, removing his wand. He pointed it towards the cell door.

"_Alohomora." _

Nothing happened.

Harry frowned. "I guess you need a keyhole for it to work."

"Not a bad idea," Sheppard reassured him. "We'll just do it the old-fashioned way. Ford, plant the C4 on both cell doors. If I'm not back in twenty minutes, blow it and get these people back to the Jumper."

"Sir, you're the only one who can fly us out of here," Ford told him.

"I know. I just don't want them in the way if we have to open up. Okay, get to it."

He looked at Harry questioningly, who nodded and threw the cloak back over his shoulders. He offered it to Sheppard once again, who declined for the same reason as before. Besides, if it slipped off or someone caught a glimpse of their feet, they'd be done.

"You can't see our feet anyway," Harry reminded him as they walked along, following the only other group of dots on the detector.

"It doesn't matter. We don't have enough time. Who knows what they're doing to the colonel..."

They crept towards the area indicated, scarcely encountering any Wraith at all.

Suddenly, a scream cut through the cold air, and they redoubled their speed. When they arrived at their destination, they saw that Sumner was on a lower level.

Harry's heart sickened as he saw what was happening. In the centre of the room, beside a large dining table, some type of female Wraith with scarlet red hair had her palm stuck to Sumner's exposed chest. Her black fingernails were piercing the skin, but what was happening to the colonel's body as a whole was appalling.

He was growing older before their very eyes; his hair whitening... his skin growing exponentially more wrinkled... his breathing ragged... howling in anguish and pain. The Wraith was clearly enjoying the process, growling in satisfaction. Harry felt his heart ache for Colonel Sumner, and gritted his teeth in anger. He was literally having his life sucked out through his chest. This _was _worse than what he had seen earlier. By far.

"I'm going down there," he whispered, this time waiting for Sheppard's approval.

He nodded hastily. "Okay, hurry up. Take out those guards if you can." It was a bold move, but he trusted Harry's abilities, especially since he was invisible. Without looking around at him, Sheppard crouched and took aim through his P-90, closing his left eye for better accuracy.

Harry would have nodded, but the major wouldn't have seen him anyway. He ran down the narrow, almost _living_ steps beside his position and approached the door to the room through yet another hallway, which was opened. Two guards stood blocking his way.

He took one deep breath, and threw off the invisibility cloak, surprising them.

"_Stupefy!" _he shouted, and his wand glowed white at the tip. The Wraith, hit squarely in the chest, was lifted off its feet and slammed into the wall, unconscious from the force of the blow. He rapidly repeated the action before the second guard could raise its staff weapon.

Running inside, he saw a flash of light and heard a few bangs as Sheppard shot another of the guards and then the female, who merely seemed to heal herself.

Harry used _protego_ to easily deflect the final guard's staff blast, before retaliating with another stunning spell.

Then, something happened. Sumner seemed to nod, ever so slightly, up at the balcony. There was a single gunshot, and he slumped to the ground, a bullet hole piercing his chest. Harry stared at the sight for a moment, shocked, while the Wraith howled in fury. Then he gathered his senses, and cast _stupefy_ at the female wraith without speaking.

Now, _that_ shocked him.

The spell hit her in the face, and she flew into the back wall.

"Major, behind you!" Harry shouted, looking up, and Sheppard whipped around, spraying the guards who had been flanking him with his P-90. Sparks flew from their chest armour, and they collapsed lifelessly to the ground.

Sheppard rushed to meet him as the female Wraith stumbled to her feet. She growled, but then stopped short when she saw what Sheppard was holding in his left hand.

"That device," she hissed, pointing at the detector. "How did it come to you?"

"I don't remember," Sheppard said, before shooting her in the chest, unhesitant. She howled in pain and anger, but stood firm once more.

Harry pointed his wand at her, thinking of Colonel Sumner and the boy he had seen earlier. He made a sideways slashing movement.

"_Diffindo!"_

Her throat opened in a violent movement, spurting gruesome blood upon the floor in great puddles of black. She clutched at the wound feebly, falling to the floor. They approached her cautiously. Healing abilities or not, Harry knew that she was done.

"That has to kill you," Sheppard said disdainfully.

Somehow, she managed to croak:

"You... do not know... what you have done. We are... merely the caretakers... for those that sleep. When... I die... the others... shall awaken. All of them," she finished dramatically, her voice deepening. She gave a choking, cruel laugh, before a horrible rattle escaped her throat. Her arm fell to the ground, and she stared beyond life itself.

Harry looked into her eyes momentarily, and knew they would probably haunt his nightmares for days to come. He wasn't afraid of her, but his unconscious mind didn't know that.

"What's she talking about?" he asked Sheppard. "How many more are there?"

Sheppard checked the detector, which began to display dozens of new energy signatures; only one or two at first, before the entire screen was covered. Realising what was happening together, they both looked up at the ceiling. Above them, there were hundreds of pods lining the ceiling, each big enough to hold a large person. Inside... figures were clearly stirring.

"I think we should go," Harry said weakly, and Sheppard was inclined to agree.

Having to leave the colonel's body behind, they sprinted from the room, heading towards the cells.

"Ford, light it up!" Sheppard shouted through his earpiece.

There were two deafening explosions in quick succession, but Harry paid them no mind. He trusted Ford to get the people out safely, and had to worry about himself. Now he needed speed, not stealth, so he ran with his wand in one hand and cloak in the other. They encountered two more guards, but Sheppard riddled them with bullets before they could so much as react.

The flaming 'x' had been a good idea. They carefully followed the trail, hoping Ford was ahead of their position. At long last, they reached the exit. Suddenly, a blast of blue light flew between them, narrowly missing.

"Whoa!" Sheppard exclaimed. He looked over his shoulder and saw a squad of Wraith following them. Without stopping he fired at them, not accurately, but enough to suppress them. Harry helped him by casting stunning spells over his shoulder as they ran through the trees.

"Ford! What's your twenty?" Sheppard shouted.

"_We're at the Jumper, sir! But more of those smaller ships are all over the place!"_

As if proving his point, one of the Wraith fighters whizzed overhead, its unusual sound emanating as it did so.

"They're going for the Jumper!" Harry shouted.

Sheppard made no reply as they continued to run, his longer legs overtaking Harry by a little distance. More shots came dangerously close to hitting them.

Harry looked around as they ran. A particularly large tree stood nearby, with a trunk thicker almost than the length of a man. He grinned to himself and stopped, carefully aiming in one direction.

"_Reducto!"_

The bottom of the trunk was blown apart, and the tree began to topple. It fell into the path of the Wraith, who did not expect the move, crushing at least two of the guards. The rest had their paths blocked and had to go around, which bought a few valuable seconds for the humans to outstrip them.

"Nice work!" Sheppard shouted over at him.

"Thanks!"

Harry's legs burned. He had worked out in the three weeks before leaving, but not as much as a soldier like the major. He gasped for air as he ran, the adrenaline aiding him. He would feel awful later on, but a contest between living with pain and dying was no contest at all.

Fortunately, he had done enough to deter the guards, and they arrived at the Jumper with no trouble. Some of the fighters were circling the area, firing down upon the marines, who had opened up with Bates' M249 SAW (Squad Automatic Weapon). Harry saw one of the ships smoking from its wing. Stackhouse fired a SMAW round when it was close enough, an anti-armour rocket launcher.

The shot was much better than Harry's earlier spell had been, and the ship exploded in the air above them.

"Everybody here?" Sheppard shouted, reaching his men.

"Yes, sir! All onboard!" Bates shouted. "Colonel Sumner?"

"Negative! Let's go!" Sheppard ordered, and the marines orderly hopped inside. Harry followed their motion and saw Teyla and a few of her people sitting there, looking determined. He hastily ran for the forward compartment, and took his seat beside Ford and Sheppard.

"Okay, let's get the hell out of here," Sheppard said with determination, activating the Jumper. The rear hatch closed, and he lifted them off the ground, cloaking the ship. The Wraith fighters flew around the area, their pilots probably annoyed at the escape. Sheppard flew them into orbit, and then started to head in the direction of the Gate.

"Phew, I hope that was the hard part," Ford said, wiping his brow.

"Oh, crap," Sheppard muttered. "How's your vision, Harry?"

"Good enough."

"Tell me I'm imagining that," he requested, pointing towards the Gate.

Harry narrowed his eyes and looked in the direction. He mentally reminded himself to thank Vorenus for finding that eyesight potion when he was five, or he would have needed glasses. Neither would it have worked had he been any older.

"Sorry, major, I can't do that," Harry said, shaking his head. Surrounding the gate were six enemy fighters, clearly anticipating their approach.

"Oh, great. I guess we'll have to lure them away. If we dial the Gate they'll start shooting blind and blow us to pieces."

"You don't have to do that," Harry informed him. "Remember what McKay was saying? Weapon storage?" he encouraged, glancing at the grill below them. "I guarantee there are drones down there. Just fire six of them and take the ships out before they even see us."

"They'll try to dodge, and I bet firing will disengage the cloak," Ford added.

"Still, it's worth a shot. We don't have any other options," Sheppard considered. "Okay, hang on!" he shouted, and those in the rear compartment braced themselves.

In a flash, the Jumper de-cloaked and fired a salvo of bright yellow lights straight at the Wraith fighters. Sheppard did his best to keep them accurate, but two missed their targets. The other four exploded in a shower of debris.

Harry reflected that it was strange to see an explosion in space. It was basically one massive vacuum, so there was no sound at all.

"Damn it," Sheppard said, taking evasive manoeuvres. The Wraith returned fire, and one of the blasts hit the ship's rear.

"There goes our cloak!" he shouted, trying to reengage the interface. "Lieutenant, dial it up and get ready to punch in your IDC on the next pass!"

Ford responded as any well-trained officer would, preparing his personal GDO (Garage Door Opener, as they were called) so the Atlantis shield would be deactivated. Sheppard pulled the Jumper one way, then another, attempting to shake off the attackers. The result was that the blue energy blasts flew far wide and high, harmlessly sailing around them.

Then, he pulled off an incredible manoeuvre. Pushing a few of the controls in sequence, he utilised the full degree of emptiness around him. The Jumper spun in an upwards spiral, so they were looking directly at the Wraith fighters. He hastily fired a couple of drones and dispatched the one closest, whilst the other flanked to the left.

Harry was really starting to admire Sheppard's piloting skills. He executed a barrel roll to the right side, causing the Wraith to struggle with his technical abilities. No matter how it followed, the Jumper just wouldn't stay put in its targeting sensor.

"Right, we've a clear run at the Gate," Sheppard stated, "so get ready, Ford!"

He left it a brief second, before they entered the maximum range of the GDO.

"Okay, now!"

Ford slammed his IDC into the device a few seconds out, and the Jumper sunk into the puddle just as the Wraith had a target lock on their straighter trajectory.

In the Atlantis Gate Room, the Jumper suddenly appeared. Weir shouted for the shield to be reactivated, and a few dull thumps were heard as the blasts reverberated. In a whoosh, the Gate was deactivated.

Sheppard let out a long breath, smiling as the Jumper began to ascend towards the hangar bay.

"Ladies and gentlemen: welcome to Atlantis," he announced. "Please ensure all seats are upright in the correct position, and remain seated until the Puddle Jumper comes to a complete stop. Thank you."

* * *

It was night-time on the ocean-covered world, but no one slept. McKay announced that the planet had a twenty five hour cycle, so it was relatively easy to adjust from Earth time. Weir had opened the bottle of champagne that O'Neill had gifted them, and was speaking to Sheppard about how he couldn't save Colonel Sumner.

They stood on the balcony, gazing at the wonderful view.

"And what about Harry? Do you want him on your team?" Weir asked pointedly.

"My team?"

"Yes; you _are_ the ranking military officer," she said with humour. "We have to get back out there, do what we came here to do."

"Well... he did do good out there. Listened to orders, defended himself, and didn't show fear. He'd be a great asset. And I think I'll probably take Ford too. Teyla knows these worlds, so she'd be good as a guide. Oh, and McKay too, I guess..."

Inside, Harry cringed as Carson handed him a glass of champagne.

"I had this once, at New Year's a few months ago. It didn't end well..."

"Were you sick?" Carson asked in his thick Scottish brogue.

"No, no... But I had to drink like a litre of water to wash away the taste."

They both laughed. The entire new population of the city was present, including their new Athosian guests. As Harry briefly sipped his drink, thinking it _did _taste slightly better, he caught sight of the girl he had seen earlier. He had asked Teyla about her, and had learned a few things.

The people she sat with in the mess hall weren't her family. They had died during the village attack. They were merely friends of the family, so they would look after her now. Her name was Rya. Every time he whispered that name softly, or let it run through his mind, his heart began to race. Teyla instantly saw through his 'supposed' reasons for asking, i.e. – that he thought she looked different to her 'family', which was why he had asked.

In reality, she had merely smiled at him, and told him that in their society it was common practice for one to learn about the person they like, whether first-hand or through friends. When that happened, they should eventually show their interest carefully, and slowly. Harry was always nervous around people he didn't know, especially girls. But, considering that he had almost died more than once today, he would make an exception.

He surprised Carson by throwing back the last of his champagne and handing him the glass. Carson snickered as he saw him approach the young lady, knowing exactly how nervous he felt. He watched as Harry introduced himself, fumbling with his words. McKay joined him soon afterwards.

"How come I never make friends like that?" Carson asked sullenly.

"Ah. _You_ need to get out more," McKay responded 'wisely'.

"We're in another galaxy, Rodney. How much more _out_ can you get?"

McKay shrugged and suddenly looked down at the food he was eating in horror. "Is there lemon is this?!" he exclaimed, before quickly rushing off.

Carson decided to leave the young pair alone, and instead went to speak with Zelenka for a while.

"So... err... I'm sorry if I'm being... well, _forward_, or anything like that," Harry stammered. "I know your people like to do things slowly... but...err... a lot happened today, and I found out life is too short to not get what you want, so..."

She smiled up at him, and he hoped she wasn't merely doing it falsely. Her family had just died, after all.

"I'm... I'm sorry for your loss," he said quietly.

She looked sad at that. "Thank you," she said in a caring, compassionate voice, which was serene and gentle. "I had heard tales of the Wraith, but... it was terrible seeing them for real."

He nodded. "I... I killed the Wraith that ordered the attack," he said hopefully. He didn't do it to try and impress her or anything, but as a type of reassurance. Hopefully it would help her feel better.

Her hazel-brown eyes widened, and he felt himself starting to feel lost again by looking into them.

"Truly? Thank you... for helping my family rest in peace," she said tearfully. "You must be very brave," she whispered, and his heart lurched.

Part of his brain told him what would happen next. What would show her that he liked her, tell her he was glad to have helped destroy that _monster_, that he would do anything to help her. He felt strange. This was the first time they had ever spoken, yet he felt a desire to protect her from anything. Maybe it was because they had both lost their families. Or maybe it was because...

"I... I like you," he managed to splutter, feeling sheepish. "A lot. I know we don't know each other well at a-all, but we can. T-that is, if you want to, of course," he added hastily.

_God, why am I making such an ass out of myself? _He thought. For an onlooker, it must have been embarrassing. Like in a movie; the main character does something stupid in a romantic situation, and the audience just buries their heads in their hands, mortified.

To both his unmentionable relief and incredible shock, she gave him another genuine smile.

_There's no way in seven hells my luck is 'that' good._

But it was, for once.

Without even thinking about it, he let instinct take over. He moved closer to her, and she offered him her hand. He took it, and held it tightly. It was reassuringly warm, and made his heart beat like a drum. Then, he did something _very_ un-Harry-like. He tilted his head to the right, and leaned in.

She did the same.

His heart urged him on, but his brain told him to stop. Some say the heart is a more powerful organ when it comes to instant decisions.

Slowly and softly, their lips met.

_I finally believe in love at first sight..._

**A:N - A surprise at the end for most people? If so: a nice one, I hope. I think I should say it'll get a little different from now on. I will, of course, be following the main plot-lines of S.G.A, but with some differences. By that, I mean a very small number of 'side' (non-important) episodes may not feature or may just be changed a little to spice things up, and I also think I'll end up writing some of my very own ideas as chapters. Thanks.**


	7. Chapter Six - Ghosts in the Darkness

**Chapter Six – Ghosts in the Darkness**

Doctor Weir walked beside Grodin as he checked off their equipment lists. Essentially, it was a list of what had been unpacked, where it had been placed, and general updates on the team's exploration progress.

"New reports are coming in almost every hour," he said excitedly. "We're discovering some amazing things, and we've barely even begun to explore. We found some large tanks this morning – when activated, they desalinise the sea water so it's pure and drinkable."

"Good. But right now, I think we need to be concerned about safety," she replied, as some Athosian children ran past them on the stairs, laughing. "And can we designate some recreational areas?"

"Of course," Grodin said. "But first we need to verify living quarters. Some people are happy, others aren't. And Major Sheppard is taking a lot of time okaying every small detail."

"He's the ranking military officer," Weir reminded him. They walked into the Gate Room, where people were walking to and fro, helping with equipment. "The safety and security of the base now belong to him."

"Okay, I'm ready!"

The speaker was Dr. McKay, who was standing beside the balcony on the next floor. Weir, along with many others, gasped in horror when Major Sheppard casually shoved him over the railings, and he fell over twenty feet to the ground heavily.

"Oh, my god," she said in shock.

Even more surprisingly, Rodney jumped to his feet, beaming. "I'm okay!" he said loudly, and Sheppard grinned. He hastily ran down the stairs to meet them.

"Did you see that?" he asked delightedly, seeming almost giddy.

"Yes! What the-"

"Look, the gene therapy worked," Rodney said happily. He pointed at a small device on his chest, which was glowing a light green colour.

"What is that?" Weir asked, still in disbelief.

"It's something we found exploring earlier. A personal shield, if you will," Rodney explained. "It must have inertial dampening properties too, because I didn't feel a thing. Watch this," he said, raising a hand to stall her. He turned to Grodin. "Hit me."

Without even thinking about it, Grodin threw a punch at Rodney, hitting him square in the face. The blow didn't land, however; instead the outline of a green force-field appeared momentarily, before disappearing instantly. It made a peculiar 'whooshing' sound when engaged.

"Ah, God!" Grodin exclaimed, clutching his fist in agony.

"See? And notice he didn't even hesitate."

Sheppard chuckled, and Weir shot him a look.

"Explain to me how you thought it would be a good idea to test this shield by throwing him off of a balcony," she demanded.

"Believe me, that's not the first thing we tried," Rodney told her, tittering.

"Oh?"

Sheppard grinned proudly. "I shot him. In the leg!" he added hastily, seeing Weir's face.

"I'm invulnerable!" Rodney exclaimed.

"Let me test that out," Harry's voice rang out.

Rodney turned and saw him standing there, wand drawn. He suddenly felt a moment's doubt. Would the shield work on his voodoo, or whatever the hell it was?

"Uh... okay," he said hesitantly.

Harry grinned and flourished his wand in a small jabbing motion. His previous non-verbal spell had rubbed off significantly on the young wizard. A white light shone for a moment, and McKay was lifted on his feet and thrown across the Gate Room a few feet. Several other gasps and mutterings were heard.

"Rodney!" Weir exclaimed.

McKay groaned and rose to his feet. "Huh, it still worked! I mean, I didn't feel a thing!"

"Hmm... I thought that might happen," Harry said thoughtfully. "I didn't try to hit you with the spell, but the shield itself. Even if it protects you, it takes the blow. So when I sent it packing, you obviously went with it."

"Well... obviously," McKay said nonchalantly. Harry snickered at that. It felt great to outdo him in some form of 'science', if you could call it that. He knew they would all become as accustomed to magic as he was, and so decided to savour the feeling while it lasted.

"Aren't you supposed to be sweeping some young lady off of her feet?" Sheppard asked cheekily, grinning in his 'Sheppard-like' manner. It reminded Harry of Jack in many ways.

Harry blushed slightly. "I'm... on my way now. Just thought I'd stop and say hello."

"Hey, you've already kissed her," McKay said smugly, joining Sheppard in tantalising him. "You don't have anything to be worried about. If you get nervous, just do what I do."

"And what might that be?" Harry asked, raising his eyebrows.

"Serenade her."

There was a brief silence of disbelief, before Harry and Sheppard burst out laughing. Grodin, still in pain, joined in and even Weir managed a slight chuckle at that. McKay looked incredulous.

"What?" he asked, throwing his arms out wide.

"Come on, Captain Canada," Sheppard said. "Let's get you to this meeting... you know, _before_ you try to sing Total Eclipse of the Heart."

"Hey, that is a classical song!" McKay argued.

Harry smiled and decided to leave them. He greeted Dr. Weir, who replied, and walked out of the Gate Room. He had just been passing through, and saw the situation as a distraction. He was so nervous even thinking about McKay's new personal shield couldn't help calm him down; killing those Wraith a couple of days ago was almost natural compared to this.

After kissing Rya, Harry had felt weak at the knees for hours. Her smile was infectious, and she was so beautiful he felt like a total fool around her. They had spent a lot of time together yesterday, although he was mostly comforting her over what had happened to her family. It had worried him a lot. They only met just before that, and he already felt like it was long-term. And for him, even thinking something like the phrase 'long-term' was an example of the superficiality he loathed.

He wondered if she had only kissed him to feel better about what had happened, but, sensing his uncertainty, she had told him that wasn't true. Teyla had later spoken to her in private. As the Athosian leader, she was now responsible for Rya as a guardian. Harry remarked at her strength and gentle nature, as he had first done on Athos.

To Harry's great sheepishness, Rya had asked to have her quarters next to his, the only others in the same hallway. She reassured him about not having to be nervous.

"It's just... you're the only person I've met here," she managed to say through her grieving. They were sitting alone, on a couch inside one of the observation rooms. The view outside was beautiful, and he gulped, thinking it was beautiful _inside_ as well.

"I know," he said gently, quite forgetting his nerves. "But... what about that nice family I seen you with yesterday? You must know them better than me, so don't you want to stay close to them?"

She shook her head slowly. "I know them well, but I fear I won't get any peace there. Their son has only turned six this past month, and... children can be very noisy," she smiled a little. "Especially in a... an amazing place such as this."

"It's incredible," Harry agreed.

They had sat there for what seemed like days, watching the Sun set across the ocean. It was a comfortable silence, made all the better when she rested her head on his shoulder. He felt his heart lurch at the contact, but responded almost instantly by putting his arm around her.

Teyla had plainly told him what was happening had surprised her greatly. It was very uncommon for Athosians to fall in love so quickly, even at such a tender age.

"I didn't say she loved me," Harry replied meekly, leaving out what he had thought after their kiss.

They had both fallen asleep on that couch, Harry cradling her slightly. When he woke up the next morning, it was because Ford and Sheppard were standing there, grinning down at him. Harry vaguely thought at that moment they were just a pair of practical jokers, and he determined to join in as soon as possible. It would be fun.

He ignored their probing questions and smart-ass remarks, waking Rya up gently. She yawned and gave him a brief kiss on the cheek, causing him to freeze in-place. The two men 'oohed' out loud. Strangely, while his face turned a bright red, Rya had laughed at them.

Now, striding towards her quarters, he felt more determined. He was anxious to get to know her a lot better, and would show that with courage.

* * *

"I'm thinking Mr. Invincible."

"Captain Untouchable."

"Oh, that's good!" Carson laughed.

"Oh, ha-ha, so glad you're having fun," Rodney shot at Carson and Grodin, who was having his hand bandaged. "Are you done?"

"Excuse me for celebrating the first successful inoculation," Carson said absent-mindedly.

"Well, hooray! Let's all have a toast!"

All of a sudden, Grodin and Beckett looked at each other, worried.

"Uh... just a thought," Grodin said, "but have you tried eating or drinking anything since you put that on?"

Rodney blinked in horror and realisation simultaneously. He grabbed a nearby pot of coffee and emptied it into a cup, before raising it to his mouth.

The coffee spread over the shield, falling to the ground in a puddle. The two men looked at him, shocked and concerned. Rodney rolled his eyes in annoyance and poured the rest of the beverage across the floor.

"Oh, that is just great..."

"This may be more serious than I expected," Beckett wondered.

"Oh, you don't say! I feel hungry already!"

"Did the database say anything about shutting the device off?" Grodin asked, apparently unhelpfully.

"Why, yes, Peter! There were some very explicit instructions I chose to completely ignore!" Rodney said with growing irritation. He went to rub his brow, then looked up and snapped his fingers. "I have it," he said suddenly, walking out of the room.

He ignored their calls and half-ran to the Control Room, where Elizabeth and Sheppard had gathered. Teyla was also with them, talking about how her people could help.

"I have an idea," Rodney announced, interrupting their discussion abruptly.

"To remove your superpowers?" Sheppard asked.

"Hmm... that's very funny. Well, I can't eat or drink, so if I don't get it off I'm a dead man," he said calmly, which only confirmed Sheppard's suspicions about 'why' it wouldn't come off. He continued: "Anyway, Harry."

"Harry?"

"What did I, stutter? Yes, Harry!"

"I'm sorry, but what's your idea?" Weir asked confusedly.

"Well... it's more of blind hope than an idea, but he might know some type of... uh... _spell_ that can remove the shield," he explained.

Weir tilted her head to one side slightly. "No."

Rodney looked surprised and confused. "What do you mean 'no'?"

"You don't need his help, and the only reason you're asking is because you know it won't work," Weir chastised. Sheppard realised she had obviously come to the same conclusion he had.

Teyla looked at her. "Dr. Weir, if Dr. McKay's life is at risk, why would he try something if he knew it would not work?"

"Hmm, you see?" Rodney asked rhetorically, as though he had won something quite obvious. "Why would I do that?"

The two 'leaders' exchanged a look. "Figure it out, McKay," Sheppard said plainly. "You're scared, but that's nothing to be ashamed of. We all are. Hell, I get a bit worried myself at times. This place gives you the creeps at night-time."

Rodney spluttered slightly at that declaration. "Wha- you think I'm subconsciously keeping this thing on me because I'm afraid of the _dark?"_ he asked in disbelief.

"McKay, you didn't see what those things did to Colonel Sumner," Sheppard told him pointedly. "If you did, you'd carry a P-90 everywhere you go. It's nothing personal, but you've no military training, so you know this shield is the best way to protect yourself. Simple," he shrugged.

"_If_ it becomes worse later on, I'll let you try it out," Weir assured, agreeing with the major. "But as it is, shield or not, I can't let you try something potentially dangerous... again," she finished, throwing Sheppard a look, who grimaced. "Who knows – the Ancients built a fail-safe into the city itself. Maybe there's one for this device as well."

They both walked away, and Rodney spluttered with indignation. "Oh, great, maybe you can decide over my rotting corpse!"

"Oh, for God's sake, McKay, stop being such a pain in the ass," Grodin grimaced, entering the room. His hand had been bandaged. He returned to his station professionally.

"Forget this," Rodney muttered. He trudged out of the room angrily, ensuring that no one knew how correct their assumption really was.

* * *

For the first time, Harry was lost.

He had been so busy thinking about Rya that he had taken a wrong turn. He supposed this was bound to happen sooner or later, despite his natural sense of direction. The entire city was like a huge garden maze, with twists and turns littered throughout.

It was evening time, but the section he had ventured into was completely blackened; obviously there were power issues in this particular area. Now, he had only realised the wrong turn, and on looking back, saw several different hallways and corridors.

"Oh, wonderful..."

A good sense of direction! How had this happened?

Around him, the lights began to flicker on and off repeatedly, an action that started to both annoy and unnerve him very quickly. More annoy, of course. He doubled back, hoping he was going in the right direction. More and more twists and turns, with never-ending corners and hallways. Most of the rooms were sealed shut, but he didn't attempt to open any. They could be dangerous.

Then, out of nowhere, his scar began to throb painfully. It was a mild itch at first, but soon transpired into an aching pain, one which coursed throughout his body, causing him to double up in agony. He collapsed against the wall, groaning and sweating.

Inside his mind, fireworks were going off. Rivers of lava swirled around his brain, and flames licked at the inside of his skull. He yelled in anguish, tormented by his own brain.

Suddenly, he seemed to whip through the air and fly to another location.

_He was in a darkened room, illuminated only by a dimly lit fireplace. Two men stood there, one looking terrified, the other furious. The shorter man, the frightened one, resembled a rat more than anything, with dirty, unkempt hair and fingernails, grey skin and a mismatched face. The other... he had the most terrible face Harry had ever seen._

_Pale-white. Red eyes. Slits for a nose. Garbed in a long black robe, he looked like sin itself. He hissed angrily, and the shorter man recoiled. _

"_You have failed me yet again, Wormtail," he growled menacingly, in a high voice._

_The shorter man trembled visibly, cowering and shivering. _

"_N-no, m-my lord," he squeaked, terrified. "I-I searched h-high and l-low for the b-boy, b-b-but he was n-nowhere to be seen. They h-have hidden him, m-my lord." _

_The taller man yelled in fury, and raised his deathly-looking wand. He pointed it directly at Wormtail's chest, who almost cried from fear. "Find out where he is, you pathetic little insect, or I'll kill you before you can breathe. For now, you may consider yourself lucky, Wormtail."_

"_T-thank y-you, m-my lord," Wormtail grovelled, throwing himself at his leader's feet._

"_Get away from me, you filthy vermin!" he ordered, kicking out, and Wormtail almost dived out of the way. "This is not a reprieve of loyalty! You came back out of fear, to save your own skin! The only reason you're being spared is that, for some reason, that Muggle filth trusts you. That, and Nagini has already fed on two Mudbloods this morning."_

_Wormtail's teeth were chattering, making him look even more like a rodent, whittling on a piece of wood. _

"_Y-yes, my l-lord. I w-will not f-fail you a-again. I will find the boy, and the device," he said with more confidence._

"_Your life depends on it," came the hissing reply. _

Harry gasped audibly as he came back to reality. He was on his knees, which were throbbing painfully. He had collided with the floor in a jarring impact. He quickly rose to his feet, using the wall for balance.

What the hell had that been about?

_It was Voldemort,_ he shuddered. There was no other explanation.

Wait a minute! He suddenly realised that the Control Room was at the top of the tower, and access could be gained from the northernmost staircase.

He sighed in realisation and raised his wand once more, previously having uttered _lumos. _

"Point me," he said.

The wand spun around in his hand, and pointed slightly to the left of his forward position. He followed it, and was surprised when he reached the end. This was where he had been after all. He hadn't been quite _that_ lost, as it transpired.

His earpiece began to crackle. There was clearly no decent signal where he was standing. He kept on walking; after a moment, a voice could be heard. It was Sheppard.

"_Harry, can you hear me?"_

Harry cleared his throat and pushed the 'speak' button.

"Major, go ahead. Loud and clear."

"_We need you at the Control Room, now._ _And you have to hurry. Get out of that area."_

Harry narrowed his eyes in suspicion.

"Why, what's happening?"

"_Just do it! Go, now!" _Sheppard shouted.

Harry quickly began to move, feeling slightly panicked. He turned left, heading to where his quarters should be.

"Major, what's happening?"

"_It's a long story! We've evacuated people to the Gate Room."_

"What?" Harry exclaimed, stopping abruptly. He turned his thoughts to someone else. "Where's Rya?"

"_She's here!"_

Harry began to run, not knowing why or what it was from. He turned into the hallway that would bring him to the northern staircase. Running past personnel quarters, he thought he was safe, until one of the doors slid open.

He stopped and looked around, thinking someone else had fallen behind. His heart stopped as he observed the man before him.

It was Voldemort.

Subconsciously, he raised his wand, but it was too late. Voldemort merely laughed. There was a flash of green light, and...

He awoke.

In the infirmary, perfectly safe and sound.

Sheppard, Weir and Beckett stood before him, and McKay sat on a bed nearby, examining something on his tablet.

Harry tried to sit up, until Carson pushed him down again.

"Easy, wee man. You're not getting off that easy this time," he smiled grimly.

Harry blinked. "What. The actual hell. Just happened?"

"What do you remember?" Weir asked gently.

He tried to clear his head of its intoxicating mist. "I... can remember getting lost. I must have blacked out, and when I came to, I tried to make my way back."

He rubbed his eyes, both of which were sore.

"Major Sheppard radioed me and told me to get back to the Control Room."

Sheppard nodded. "Yeah, I did. We, uh, we have a small problem."

"What's that?" Harry asked.

"One of the Athosian children let loose... some kind of _entity_," Weir said vaguely. "We don't fully understand it, but it seems to feed on power. There was none in that area, so it... it went for you instead. Once it touched you, you passed out."

"Oh! So he gets 'passed out' and I get 'fainted'?" McKay demanded.

"You... what?" Harry asked confusedly, shaking his head. This was so frustrating. He couldn't think straight at all.

"He fainted when the power went off in the Control Room," Sheppard grinned.

"Right, tell me again," Harry said quickly, sitting up, ignoring McKay's reaction. Beckett allowed it this time. "One of the kids accidentally let out some kind of entity that feeds on power, and it attacked me? Where did it come from?"

"We tried to radio you sooner, but you were just sitting there," McKay said stiffly.

"'Sitting there?'"

"We found sensors that sweep the city," Sheppard answered. "Yeah, the thing looks like... well, _black smoke._ Darkness. What happened to you before that?"

"I... I can't remember," he lied. He wasn't about to tell them what had happened. What he had seen. "My earpiece was crackling. Bad signal, I guess. Was I there for long?"

"Only a few minutes, but it was enough for that thing to get closer."

There was silence for a minute.

"So... what now?" Harry asked, throwing his arms at. A thought flashed into his mind. "Where's-"

"Rya? She's safe," Weir assured him. "We were hoping you could tell us more about this entity. Major Sheppard and Grodin found it in one of the generator rooms after the lights started to flicker. They shut it down, and it started circling."

"We got back to the Control Room and saw it going for you," Sheppard explained. He recalled the black mist, and was somewhat reminded of that new TV show he had missed out on for this mission. _Lost_, he thought it was called.

Harry sighed and rubbed his forehead. This was a _lot_ to take in. But then again, he had prepared himself for such events before they had even left Earth. Many of the SGC's mission files had said how things could get out of hand quickly, and what had just happened to him was metaphorical for such a situation.

He thought of Voldemort. Obviously it hadn't really been him. His mind had been playing tricks. The entity must have knocked him out before he had even seen it, and as a result, Voldemort had appeared in his mind. After his 'vision', it wasn't really that surprising in the end.

"I didn't see it," he confirmed, acknowledging their slightly disappointed looks. "What happens now?" Harry asked.

"Well... we have no idea," McKay said. "We're systematically shutting off the generators, but I think we're just making it mad."

"Then... shut everything down," Harry suggested groggily.

"Eh... what?"

"The entire system. All of the power. Evacuate everyone to the Gate Room and seal the doors until we figure out what to do."

"Not a bad idea, but we have to shut the generators down individually," McKay said. "And with that... _thing_ hovering around, it's a suicide mission. We haven't been able to figure out how to shut them off via the Control Room yet."

"Maybe... but not suicide for someone who's invincible," Sheppard said, looking around at him.

McKay's eyes opened wide in shock, and the shield suddenly deactivated. He looked delighted, and immediately began to gorge on a 'power bar'.

"Figures," Sheppard muttered knowingly. McKay ignored him.

"I can do it," Harry offered. "Give me the shield and I'll go."

"It only works for one person," McKay said through a mouthful of food. "My DNA has been imprinted into it, so it'll only work for me now."

"Well, why don't you grow a pair and put it back on?" Harry demanded angrily. He didn't mean to sound so forceful, but his head really hurt like hell.

"Okay, I think you need to rest," Carson said, whilst McKay looked indignant.

"Wait. I have a better idea," Harry said, jumping out of bed. To Carson's protests, he grabbed his wand and used magic to ease the pain. The result was bliss.

"What is it?" Weir asked.

"If it feeds on power, trap it," he said simply.

"Uh... well, unfortunately, Stackhouse destroyed the container by shooting at the entity," Sheppard said. "Jinto was missing, and we went to get him. Then that thing appeared-"

"No, I don't mean that," Harry interrupted. "It's obviously too dangerous to have around. Trap it in the Gate Room with a power source, and then use a MALP to push it through the Gate. Let it follow. If we shut down the generators simultaneously it'll be attracted to the power source."

"Yeah, or to us!" McKay exclaimed.

"Not if the power source is bigger than... _us_," Sheppard wondered aloud. He turned to Weir, beginning to understand Harry's plan. "Elizabeth, we might have to use one of the naquadah generator backups."

She sighed. "Do I have any choice?"

"Well... no," McKay said dramatically, finally understanding as well. "Right now it's docile unless there's no power source around, but who knows if that could change or not? I mean, living in a cage for ten thousand years is a good way to piss it off. And it must be hungry, too..."

She nodded solemnly, with regret at what had to happen. "Fine, get it done. Pull everyone back to the mess hall and shut off any power source nearby."

"I'll do that," Sheppard said, straightening up. Harry marvelled at how he could be a prankster one moment, and a truly exceptional leader the next. There was no hesitance.

"Fine, I guess I'll... uh, get the naquadah generator?" McKay queried, pointing over his shoulder.

Sheppard nodded. "We'll be in the Control Room looking for a suitable address – wait until everyone is clear and I'll give you the signal."

Weir departed for the Control Room to track the entity's progress, while Sheppard began radioing teams his instructions. McKay went off to get the backup generator, and Carson started telling his doctors to fall back to the mess hall. There weren't any patients, save Harry, who was now free to go. Halling had broken his arm after falling over some equipment yesterday, but he had no need to be here.

Harry thought with interest. An entity of black smoke? One that fed on power, whether artificial or... well, _natural?_ He resolved to be much more careful from now on. Touching that thing had caused both momentary hallucination and deliria afterwards. He had to be more alert. What if, by some outrageous means, it _had_ been Voldemort? He would be dead at this moment, and that was a certainty. And even worse, he could have died anyway. This day was certainly moving along rapidly, and seemed almost fragmented in its nature.

"Are you coming?" Sheppard motioned.

Harry nodded and followed him out of the room, clutching his wand tightly. It was a good thing it was undamaged. No, it was a miracle, in fact. It was the most precious tool he had brought. Everything else was important, but his wand was absolutely irreplaceable. It would help on missions, defend him and the people around him, eventually begin to help with medical situations too. He simply could not afford to lose it.

* * *

Rodney looked around nervously, checking to make sure that thing didn't sneak up on him. He had seen too many horror movies in his time to not know the smart guy almost always went first. Carefully, he opened the metallic case, ensuring the generator was still inside. When he saw it, he slammed it shut and practically ran to the Control Room, stopping only to shut down the power to his room.

"Sheppard, I'm on my way," he signalled whilst moving.

"_Good. We're all here. The entity is circling two of the other generators. Say the word and my men will deactivate them and leg it." _

He reached the staircase to the Control Room, thinking that was enough.

"Okay, pull it now," he said.

The dying sound of the power system could be heard, and the area around him went dark immediately. He quickly jogged up the steps and shut the door behind him. Only a few people were inside, with most in the mess hall.

Sheppard looked up, and then signalled: "okay, he's here! Pull the last generator and double-time it back here!" He clicked his fingers at McKay, who ran outside into the Gate Room, feeling nervous. What if that thing was faster than it had seemed? He hastily activated the generator and set it on top of the positioned MALP.

Breathlessly, he arrived back in the Control Room.

"Dialling it now," Grodin said. He punched in the Gate Address. It wasn't anywhere they would ever miss – a world destroyed by the Wraith many years ago, with a Space Gate in orbit.

The Gate lit up hurriedly, and then activated in its spectacular whoosh of blue energy. The event horizon settled just as Sheppard's men sprinted into the Gate Room.

"Stackhouse, get up here!" Sheppard ordered, signalling frantically.

Stackhouse and Markham obeyed swiftly; they entered panting for air, as Sheppard congratulated them.

"S-sir, we had to run like Hell," Stackhouse said, gasping slightly. "That thing's faster than it looks."

Behind them, Harry shut and locked the door as a precaution. He felt a twisted sort of excitement – that was his nerdish self. He hadn't yet seen the entity, and assumed it was magnificent, if not terrifying and threatening as well.

Then, his blood seemed to freeze ever so slightly. A cold draught entered the room, and the sound of wind seemed to emanate from... somewhere. The entity swirled into the room, and Harry finally understood Sheppard's vague description.

It really was just darkness. There was no other way to describe it. Smoke wouldn't fit, because that would imply it took the form of gas particles, which it did not. It was as a shadow, haunting the walls of the room, shrouding them in mystery. It obscured vision to the entire room, even blocking most of the Stargate itself, which stood almost ten feet high.

He let out a very low breath, quite a reduced reaction compared to others seeing the entity for the first time, such as Weir herself.

"My God," she gasped. "Grodin, activate the MALP. Quickly."

Grodin pushed a button on his remote control for the robot probe and, they assumed, it began to move forwards. However, it was taking much longer than expected.

"Damn it, it must be stuck below the ramp," Grodin muttered.

Nobody said what they were all thinking.

Somebody had to go down there, or they were screwed. But Harry didn't even think, he merely withdrew his wand.

"_Protego,"_ he uttered, although this time he kept the magical aura flowing, so that the spell would be maintained.

"Harry, you cannot," Teyla said. "This being has already hurt you once before. It could happen again just as easily."

Harry shook his head. In desperation, he had forgotten about McKay. "I have to, or we're all dead," he said with an air of finality. He didn't even ask Weir or Sheppard for permission, but unlocked the door and stepped outside. The entity covered most of the stairwell, up to the top step. He took a deep breath and began to descend, grateful for the lack of calls to bring him back. They weren't selfish enough to risk such a young... well, he was still technically a boy. They just knew nothing would bring him back now.

He had read up on Hogwarts Houses a little, and knew this was character befitting the lion of Gryffindor, the house his parents had belonged to. Thoughts flashed through his mind as he walked deeper into the entity's being. Rya, whether she was worried about him, if she was safe in the mess hall, his mother, the people depending on him.

He had ventured no more than a few steps when his thoughts truly spiralled out of control. He stood there, enjoying the almost pretty blue electric bolts that sparkled to and fro, when it happened.

"_You have failed me yet again!"_

_Oh no, not again_, he thought pleadingly, holding his head in a measured fashion.

"_N-no, my l-lord-"_

"_Avada Kedavra!"_

Harry screamed in agony as his scar burned with Voldemort's rage. He fell to the ground, losing his wand in the result. Time seemed to stop as he stared at it rolling across the floor. He made to dive for it, but the entity engulfed him, and he began to choke on the sensation.

He was going to die here, on the Gate Room floor. Ash and dust seemed to force their way down his throat into his lungs, and the electric energy burned him ferociously. He shouted out, trying to stop but unable to do so. He was being tortured from the inside out, his entire body twitching violently.

Then, McKay was there. Without thinking, he rushed to Harry and grabbed him, grunting with the effort. He half-carried, half-threw him up the staircase, the entity beating against the shield he wore yet again. Hearing the boy's screams had sprung him into action; as the others rapidly ran out of ideas, he had slipped the shield on, unnoticed.

With Harry safe, he strode confidently towards the damaged MALP. It had toppled over, probably from the entity's brute force. He ignored it, grabbing the naquadah generator. With a rush of movement, Rodney hurled it through the Gate, watching it vanish with a ripple. The entity hurried after it, leaving the Gate Room empty. With the adrenaline rush panning out, Rodney felt terrible, and proceeded to pass out beside the Gate.

On the steps, Harry watched him through half-closed eyes, before being scooped up by Major Sheppard. Body aching, he lost consciousness.

* * *

"Well, we're making a wee habit out of this, aren't we?" asked a friendly voice.

Harry opened his eyes briefly, seeing Carson smiling from beside him. Everybody from before was also there, with the exception being McKay lying on a bed next to his. Also, he felt something tugging at his hand.

Turning his head, Harry saw Rya standing there, and immediately felt much calmer. Her gentle, but also sad, smile and endless eyes touched his soul, as she held his hand. He coughed, still feeling the earlier effects.

"That was bloody stupid of you," Carson reprimanded, and Harry chuckled in labour.

"Y-yeah, thanks. I won't be doing that again," he replied humorously.

"I heard you were very brave," Rya whispered, and his heart fluttered. At the very least, he owed her a proper date after everything that had happened, and then so much more afterwards.

"You did a good job," Sheppard said, and Weir nodded in agreement.

"You worried us for a second," she announced. "What happened?"

He shook his head. "I... I don't know. My shield didn't work properly," he lied again. And on that note...

"McKay?" he asked, looking at the man beside him.

"Hmm?" he replied, eyes closed towards the ceiling.

"Thank you. Really. You saved my life."

McKay didn't react much, but inside he felt very content indeed. No one had ever called him 'heroic' before. Well, they still hadn't, but it was implied. Right?

"Yeah, no problem, kid," he said lowly. "Just do me a favour, would you?"

Harry raised his eyebrows. "Anything."

"Call me Rodney, okay? I get 'McKay' enough from the military."

Harry grinned. "Only if you call me 'Harry.'"

"Fair enough."

"What happened to you?" Harry asked.

"He passed out," Sheppard said, knowing those words alone would help even more.

Rodney chuckled. "Thanks for not saying the other thing..."

"Okay, I have to insist you all leave him for a while," Carson said firmly. "Both of them need to rest, and _you_ are going nowhere," he added, holding Harry's wand. "Those are first degree burns, and I wouldn't bet you know a fancy spell to get rid of them, right?"

Harry shook his head, resigned. He didn't.

"I thought not. So, I'll be keeping this for a day or two," he said, visibly pocketing the wand jokingly. "I'm sorry, love, but you're gonna have to go as well."

Rya didn't protest, but leaned in and gave Harry a small peck on the lips. It hurt a little, thanks to his burns. She left afterwards, stopping only to wave briefly.

"What happened to the shield?" Harry asked Rodney, as everybody left.

"Depleted," he muttered, before rolling his head to one side. Harry assumed he needed some sleep, and decided to leave him in peace. He was snoring before long.

Harry thought back to his second vision. Voldemort had murdered his servant, Wormtail. And from what he understood, it was for not finding two separate things.

_One is some type of 'device'. The other was... me._

He shook his head. This was back on Earth, in another galaxy. He couldn't let such a thing happen again. It had almost cost his life and those of everybody on the base. He had a sudden thought.

"Carson, could you do me a favour, please?"

"Sure," the doctor replied, looking over. "What is it?"

"In my room I have a dozen or so books on the dresser. I need the one titled: _The Human Mind – Protection From and Protection Against. _Could you please get it for me?"

"Absolutely," Carson nodded. "I'll send someone in a minute; just need to finish this paperwork first."

Harry nodded.

Now all he needed to do was find that chapter called _Occlumency_, and he would be in business.

**A:N - The team itself will definitely be the key focus of the next chapter. Ford and Teyla will be included a lot more. Don't worry - this will NOT turn into a complete love story. It'll play a small part, but be more like a love during war-time. The Wraith will always have centre stage, along with the smaller, isolated chapters of exploration, such as this one. This chapter moved fast. Faster than I normally intend, to be honest. Still, the important things to remember are Harry's visions and future use of Occlumency.**


	8. Chapter Seven - First Mission

**Chapter Seven – First Mission **

Harry blinked slowly, eyes flickering between consciousness and blackness. He groaned slightly and rolled onto his back, feeling concussed. He felt a leg brush against his arm, and groggily sat up, slumped against the wall behind him.

The others were in similar positions. Sheppard lay on the ground... _immobilised_. Teyla and Rodney lay beside him, and Ford... he couldn't see Ford. Harry took a look at the wall opposite, feeling dazed and wondering how this had happened. There had been so much anticipation regarding the first true mission of Atlantis, and now it may well end in untold disaster.

_**Two hours earlier...**_

Harry let out a deep breath as the Jumper flew through the Gate, knowing it was the body's first impulse to inhale upon emerging on the other side. It was the first mission of his new team. All in all, there included: A wizard, two elite soldiers, a 'genius' scientist and an alien woman. What could possibly go wrong?

"Okay, I'm gonna fly us down there slowly," Sheppard announced from the pilot's seat.

The Gate address had been chosen at random; after all, they had to start somewhere. Typically, it had been another space Gate, requiring the use of their only true pilot's esteemed flying qualities. Harry sat in the co-pilot's seat, whilst the others sat in the rear compartment. Markham and Stackhouse, two aspiring Jumper pilots themselves, had been told by the major to sit this one out. Although Harry didn't know it, Sheppard's line of thought was that his magic would be much more valuable than two additional marines. And that was a soldier's opinion, remember.

Behind him, Harry heard Ford and Teyla discussing their past lives. Rodney ignored them, reading something on his beloved tablet.

"I was raised by my grandparents," Ford told her. "Both my folks died when I was just a kid, so they took me in. Great people," he said with clear admiration.

"The people of my village helped to take care of me," Teyla replied, offering some information in exchange. "My mother died when I was very young, and my father was taken in the last Wraith culling."

Harry noticed she seemed uncomfortable. Teyla was new to their people, and still felt she had to earn her place. As a result, she tried to avoid discussing personal matters. In fact, she had chosen to wear her Athosian attire on the mission, something which had surprised Harry. It wouldn't be as effective as their uniforms in strenuous circumstances, such as a fire-fight.

Ford nodded in understanding. He wore his favourite blue cap, one which matched the Atlantis clothing. Harry could also sympathise with their moroseness. He had been raised by a wonderful mother, but his true parents had been taken from him. Not died, but taken forcefully.

"Hmm... not reading anything interesting," Rodney said, obviously disappointed with the readings he was receiving. Finding technology appeared to be his passion, and its lacking on this world was surely a let-down. For him, it was probably little more than a bare, miserable rock in space.

Sheppard frowned at that. "We're not _just_ here for technology, Rodney. Maybe there's a local food source down there that we can harvest."

"Maybe, but there sure as hell won't be any indigenous people," Rodney replied sullenly.

"Oh, how can you be so sure about that?" Sheppard asked sceptically, as he guided the ship through the atmosphere.

"Well, for one thing: the Gate is in space."

"So they couldn't trade," Harry offered, looking back. "That doesn't mean they aren't self-reliant."

"Pffftt," Rodney dismissed, making the cynical noise with his lips clenched. "If there _are_ any people, and the Wraith _haven't_ wiped them out, they'll be little more than cavemen."

Ford shook his head in disdain, grinning at the same time. "You don't judge a book by its cover, McKay."

"_I_ do..." he muttered, trailing off.

Harry turned back around and saw that Sheppard had chosen, unsurprisingly, another clearing in which to land. Thankfully, there was no Wraith facility (or ship, if it was) in plain sight. Carefully, he landed the Jumper, and the others got ready to depart.

"Showtime," Sheppard announced excitedly. As it was their first mission together, he guessed some type of speech was in order, but closed his mouth as quickly as he had opened it. He couldn't think of anything good to say. Instead, he unlocked the rear hatch, and they clambered out onto the grass.

Harry breathed-in the intoxicating scent of nature, enjoying the warmth of the local sun and cool breeze at the same time. The trees around him swayed from side to side, seemingly carrying their wind to each other as gifts.

"Okay, people, we're gonna search the surrounding area," Sheppard ordered, checking the P-90 he carried. Ford imitated this action, whereas Harry merely flipped and twirled his wand around. McKay looked at it with distaste. Teyla hadn't requested a weapon, and she hadn't yet been trained in any case.

_That might be a liability_, Harry remarked sullenly. But if she was trusted by Sheppard, she was also trusted by him.

Sheppard took point and led them through the trees. The team walked casually, alert but enjoying the stroll. It was a mismatched group, truth be told.

"So, Harry, how's it feel being the youngest person from Earth to travel through the Gate?" Ford asked him.

"Huh. I forgot about that," he replied honestly. "It feels... normal, I guess." In truth, it wasn't something that he found overly important. So much had happened since they arrived in Pegasus that the thought hadn't even crossed Harry's mind until now. It had excited him before leaving, but now it just seemed inconsequential.

"Were you ever off-world before, Teyla?" Sheppard asked, having to call back.

"Many times," she replied. "It is customary for our people to trade with others, and as their leader, I often went to help negotiate."

"Were the people... _welcoming_?" Harry asked with mild trepidation. They would need honest and reliable trading partners in the near future in order to survive, he knew.

Teyla nodded in response. "Yes; once two peoples become acquainted, they learn to trust each other. After a while, their leaders may try to open relations, including the trading of food and medicines."

"What about weapons? Technology?" Rodney asked with interest.

"I... don't think many planets would have much that is beneficial to Atlantis," she said with regret. "If a race ever evolves to that extent, the Wraith will return and harvest their people."

"Oh," he replied simply, looking put-out.

"There's bound to be someone who can help," Ford declared. "I mean, how many planets are there with Gates in this galaxy alone?"

"Most likely tens of thousands," Rodney said matter-of-factly. "And if the Wraith have been asleep for long enough, there might be something out there..."

Harry raised an eyebrow. "If the Asgard could hold their own against the Goa'uld, who's to say there isn't a similar race here? I don't think _'something'_ covers it, Rodney. There _has_ to be at least a few advanced cultures in this galaxy, hiding. We just have to find them."

"Yeah... and that's the tricky part."

"That doesn't mean we should not try," Teyla told him gently.

"We _will_ try," Sheppard said over his shoulder. "It's what we're here to do."

"And there I was, thinking we were here for a lovely vacation," Rodney replied sarcastically.

"Oh, lighten up, McKay," Sheppard reprimanded. "You know a lot of people would love it just being here, in another galaxy?"

"Yeah, yeah... I do too... but if we don't treat every day like a struggle for survive, we are completely screwed," Rodney said ominously. "If what you said is accurate, the Wraith awoke after you killed their queen, right?"

"Uh huh."

"Well... come on!" he exclaimed with frustration. "This is the race that defeated the Ancients we're talking about! And they had hundreds of ships, a coalition of planets and technology we can barely dream of! What the hell type of chance do _we_ have?"

"Don't tell me you're giving up already?" Ford asked him incredulously. "What we're gonna do is fight until the bitter end, McKay. And you know what? You're wrong. Every day _is_ a fight for survival, because we don't know what we're dealing with. Just look at that entity two days ago," he said, throwing his hand out in frustration.

"Yeah, I know," McKay said quickly. "I didn't mean... look, all I'm saying is we're walking a thin line, and we've only been here for a few days. I know everybody wants to explore... but our top priority has to be finding a way to survive long-term, whether it's against the Wraith or just hunger."

Ford had no reply to that. They all knew that Rodney was right with what he was saying.

In silence they continued onwards, trudging through the surrounding dense wood. The wind had mostly calmed in such dense vegetation, and nor were there any animals to be seen. It was strange, being in a forest that could resemble countless others on Earth, but with an absence of birdsong and other creatures chirping and chattering among each other.

Apart from that troubled conversation, nobody spoke much. That is, until Rodney found something new to complain about. Harry sighed, assuming this would be something nerve-testing in the future; they had been walking for around an hour, when:

"Oh, for God's sake! Couldn't we just have done a sweep in the Jumper?" he asked, annoyed with the physical exertion.

"McKay, can I ask you a personal question?" Ford queried.

"What?"

"Do you ever stop bitching?"

"Well, excuse me for not having all of your... your physicality!" Rodney panted, causing Harry to grin. He too was finding it difficult to keep pace with Sheppard, but the exercise would do him good. Rodney could be a pain at times, but he was also funny, even if not purposefully.

"Besides, I did do a sweep of the area," Sheppard remarked casually, slowing down a little.

Rodney was outraged. "Wha-"

"I thought there might be something we missed," Sheppard shrugged. "Besides, you said yourself there was no technology in-range, so you knew this would happen."

"Maybe we should head back," Rodney suggested wearily.

"Or... _maybe_ we should keep going," Sheppard replied, nodding.

"I think you will have to get used to this, doctor," Teyla smiled solemnly.

"I'm aware of that," Rodney said, not overly snappily, but a little bit. "It just annoys me that we're searching when there's clearly nothing here!"

"Oh, no? Well, what would you call that?" Harry asked, motioning in front of him with his head.

The others fell silent and quickly looked in the direction he had indicated. Before them stood a large, crumbling structure, square-shaped with a large spire at the top. Well, what may have originally been a spire, but was now merely lumps of rock, strewn out across the ground below, probably falling many decades ago. Harry only assumed it used to be a tower of some sort because the tiniest fraction remained on the building's roof.

It sounded obvious, but the huge number of vines, creepers and growing moss had obscured the architecture remarkably well. If one of them had to guess – probably Rodney – it was some sort of outpost, Lantean in its design. It was about thirty metres high, and the front wall was about twenty in length.

"Huh," Rodney observed. He quickly proceeded to removing his tablet and scanning the structure, looking for anything and everything. The results were disappointing.

"No signs of energy, and I'm guessing the place has been derelict for centuries. Probably completely ransacked inside."

"Still, it's something," Sheppard observed. He nodded to Harry, a form of praise for the discovery.

"You ever seen anything like this before?" Ford asked Teyla.

She shook her head. "Never."

Sheppard moved over to what he assumed was the entrance, finding that parts of the roof had collapsed.

"Looks pretty unstable," he noted. He turned back to Harry. "You know anything that could help?"

Harry wrecked his brains for such a spell, but came-up short. He frowned. "Nothing much; I could probably use a shield to stop the roof from crushing us, but that's it. I don't know any spells that would repair it."

_Reparo _wasn't an option in this instance, because it only helped if one knew the original shape and design of the object in-question. He could probably take a decent stab at it, but it most likely wouldn't be pretty, and could possibly be even more dangerous than not doing anything.

"Hmm... give me a second," Sheppard suggested, going around back.

Harry walked to the wall before him, wondering what colour it could have been before nature reclaimed the land. There was no visible sign of a door and no windows either. He reached out a hand, intending to run it across the smooth exterior.

Suddenly, as his fingers brushed across the stonework, a white light flashed behind him. He spun around, going for his wand, but then stopped. It was a hologram, similar to the one he had briefly seen in Atlantis. The others were startled, Ford aiming his P-90, before Harry held up a hand.

"It's a hologram, lieutenant," he explained.

The four of them approached it, trying to grasp its words. It was a young woman, with shoulder-length brown hair, dressed in the typical white garb of the Ancients. At that moment, Sheppard reappeared.

"No sign of an entrance anywhere. Whoa, what's-"

"Shh!" Rodney motioned, silencing him. He pushed a few buttons on his tablet, then 'tutted' and looked at the fallen spire beside him. "Yeah... just like I thought... it's a radio tower. Or what's left of one..."

"Why can't we hear anything?" Ford asked.

"That spire was probably an antenna. Without it, it'll be little more than static," Rodney explained.

"We can't leave," Harry said quietly. "If she's saying something about ZPMs..."

"Yeah, I second that," Sheppard responded. "McKay, make it work."

Rodney rolled his eyes and screwed up his face. "Without the antenna, what am I supposed to-"

"Wait!" Harry exclaimed, hearing something briefly. He stood as close as possible, and was able to make out a few words. Obviously that tiny remnant of the antenna was worth _something_. It was very faint, but his hearing was good.

"_...signal... heard only... Lantean ships... this... warning for all... and their crews... research... destroyed... Wraith ships firing... overrun." _

Harry stepped back as the hologram finished speaking, and vanished abruptly. The others hadn't managed to catch any of her words.

"What did it say?" Sheppard asked curiously.

Harry shook his head. "It was a research station of some kind. They were attacked, and... must have sent out a warning signal. Their research was destroyed," he said, noting the look on Rodney's face, which quickly turned to regret.

"Attacked? By the Wraith?" Teyla asked him, to which Harry nodded.

"I'd say it's not worth exploring," Harry voiced. "If their research was destroyed..."

"Or," Rodney began, holding up a finger, "maybe they just don't want anyone to find it."

"Why would they do that?" Sheppard shrugged, unconvinced.

"Maybe it's dangerous," Rodney offered.

"They left us their entire city to find," Ford reminded him. "Their last real home. Why would they care about a ruined outpost like this one?"

"Well, how am I supposed to know?" Rodney answered curtly. "It's just a theory. Come on, we're not just going to abandon our first discovery, are we?"

"You were all set on turning around ten minutes ago," Harry said, perplexed.

"Major, we have to leave," Teyla said urgently.

Harry looked over at the Athosian leader, and saw that she was staring intently into the distance. She looked around, panic plain across her face.

"The Wraith are coming!"

* * *

As fast as they possibly could, the group ran back in the direction of the Jumper. It was very unorganised, but safety was the only concern now. Harry heard a sudden shout from behind, and looked around to see that Rodney had tripped over a branch. He quickly helped the doctor to his feet, and they resumed sprinting for their lives.

"Thanks," he grunted, panting for breath.

Harry was about to answer, but instead heard the unmistakable sound of an energy blast. He hastily threw himself at Rodney, and they fell in a heap, whilst the Wraith shot flew dangerously close over their heads.

"Major!" Harry shouted urgently, but Sheppard had already begun to fire.

The other three had been close-by, and were now on the opposite side of the path, taking cover behind a set of tree stumps and fallen branches. Sheppard sprayed the area in front of him, the bullets ricocheting off the tree trunks nearby. He quickly used his left hand to signal for Ford to go around to the left.

The lieutenant crept through the undergrowth, keeping his weapon primed. He was swiftly beside the two Wraith blocking their way, and eliminated them in a haze of bullets. They fell to the ground, emanating their inhuman screams.

Harry blew a little air out of his mouth in relief, and quickly stood up, pulling Rodney to his feet. The doctor grimaced as he did so.

"Yep... that's going to bruise."

"Come on, we have to go," Sheppard ordered hastily.

This time, more cautiously, they moved along the sides of the trail, although still with relative quickness. They reached a noticeable spot from earlier, memorable in that there was a large rock on one side of the trail. Ford, who was taking point, fleetingly caught a glimpse of a white mane of bedraggled hair on top, and held up his fist, the military signal for 'hold up'.

"One on top of the rock," he whispered back. "Probably a couple more."

Sheppard nodded, and imitated a throwing motion.

Ford also nodded, and withdrew a small, spherical device from his military belt. Quietly, he pulled the pin, counted to two, and threw it on top of the boulder. There was a brief respite, before the grenade exploded, charring the rock and blowing the Wraith warriors into tiny pieces. Their cries alerted the others, who showed themselves and began to fire with their staff weapons. Harry began to cast stunning spells, protected by a large, thick branch from their shots. One caught a guard directly in the chest, and it fell backwards a few feet, knocked-out. The soldiers, meanwhile, were emptying their submachine guns directly into the general area the Wraith stood in. Sheppard gave Teyla an M9, a standard issue US pistol. She tried shooting it, but was very inaccurate.

Harry grinned as he took another out, but felt that slide straight from his face as a dozen more appeared, including their commander.

"Forget this!" Sheppard shouted. "Let's get the hell out of here! Harry!"

Harry knew what he meant, and quickly fired at the ground directly in front of the Wraith.

"_Expulso!" _

The explosion threw up a cloud of dust and dirt, blinding their attackers. In the confusion, the group ran into the trees, before turning in an angle after a few hundred metres and running back in the direction of the Jumper. Sheppard led them, frantically reloading his P-90 as he did. They turned through a thicket of large bushes, blinded slightly. That turned out to be a huge problem.

Sheppard's head was turned, which is why he didn't see the web. Harry saw it just at the last moment. A huge, disgusting creature nestled in a spider-like cocoon between two trees. It was, simply put, large, black and very slimy-looking. It braced itself.

"Major, look out!"

Sheppard turned his head just as he ran into the nest. The creature jumped at him, going for his neck. In what seemed to be slow motion, Harry slashed at it with his wand. It hung in the air for a brief moment.

"_Diffindo!" _

It was mere inches from Sheppard's face when it was cleaved in two, falling to the ground in halves. Its blood was black, which stained the forest floor.

"Holy crap!" Sheppard exclaimed, jumping over the body. He turned back and looked at Harry seriously. "You probably saved my life, Harry! I owe you one!"

"That makes two of you," Harry joked, indicating Rodney.

The scientist merely grimaced.

"Major, Dart!" Ford shouted over the sound of the approaching Wraith ship's engine.

"Great... let's go!"

Teyla didn't look happy at being so useless in a fire-fight, but Harry paid that sentiment no mind. She would be, and now he was only worried about getting back safely. It had taken them over an hour to walk the distance, but now they were almost beside the clearing after fifteen minutes of sprinting.

The Dart whirred overhead, blasting the ground with its formidable laser turrets. Ford recoiled as two of them landed dangerously close to his feet.

"What, no rocket launcher?" Harry asked over the din with a little dark humour.

Ford ignored him and fired at the ship, trying to bring it down. He was saved from the fruitlessness of the task by the arrival of a second, as it made Sheppard order him to retreat. The lieutenant breathed heavily as he ran, feeling exhilarated and terrified at the same time. In six years of service he had never seen or done anything quite like this.

Sheppard violently slammed a couple of the buttons on the Jumper's remote control, de-cloaking the Ancient ship and opening the rear hatch. The five of them streamed inside, but Harry let Ford take the co-pilot's seat. In a situation like this, his training was an advantage Harry couldn't match.

The ace pilot quickly lit the ship up and took off rapidly, ensuring the inertial dampeners were initialised. He had just taken off, however, when a flurry of blasts rained upon them, two hitting their mark. Despite the anti-G force system, Harry felt like the victim of a minor car crash as he was rocked to and fro. Sheppard brought them out of the atmosphere into the endlessness of space, the Wraith hot on his tail.

"Just two Darts!" Sheppard shouted back. "Must be a scouting party!"

He quickly spun the ship in a barrel roll, causing the occupants to hold on for dear life. As he ended the manoeuvre, the major fired a trio of drones, destroying one of the Darts instantly. The other proved to be more of a problem, buzzing in every direction. It tried to lock onto the Jumper in order to fire, but Sheppard could simply not be matched.

When the Dart appeared to have the upper hand, he would spin and suddenly the tables would be turned. Finally, the ongoing struggle worked in their favour. Sheppard decreased the power in the left drive pod, and increased the outflow of the right. The Jumper rapidly spun anticlockwise (from their position), and he immediately launched another drone assault, catching the Dart full in the face. It exploded in a spectacular glow of orange and yellow, the flames only momentary due to the lack of oxygen in space.

He whistled slightly at the sight, then grinned brightly. "I think I'm starting to get the hang of this little ship."

"That is... good to hear," Teyla smiled weakly, holding her stomach as if she may throw up. Rodney wasn't doing much better.

Harry laughed wildly, both at the sight and from the adrenaline rush. Ford chuckled and began to punch-in his IDC as they neared the Gate.

Once Harry had calmed down, he began to think over the mission. It had been shorter than expected, but a lot more dangerous, courtesy of their old friends appearing. He wondered if the hologram may have activated an emergency beacon or something similar, then shrugged the thought off. There would be time to think later. For now, all he wanted to do was get back to Atlantis, hold Rya in his arms, and then get something hot to eat.

With the adrenaline thinning out, he almost found himself drifting off...

"_My lord, why cannot Wormtail carry out this... task?" _

"_Wormtail is dead," Voldemort spat. "For being an insufferable piece of vermin." He looked at the man before him, one with thin, blonde hair. "You aren't afraid, are you, Lucius?"_

_Lucius swallowed. "No, my lord, of course not. I just wonder... is a direct assault the best way forward?" _

"_Do not question my orders!" _

_Lucius' eyes widened in fear and he recoiled, as if to avoid a blow that never came. "N-no, my lord. I would never dream of it. It's just... Dumbledore still lives. I... I merely believe 'that' should be our focus, not w-what you asked Wormtail to accomplish." _

_Voldemort hissed, and the large snake beside him stirred. It slithered across his shoulders, resting between them and the armchair upon which he sat. Lucius shuddered. _

"_That Muggle-loving filth will be dealt with by me, and me alone. As for you, my old friend... you 'will' do what I have told you, or I'll be feeding you to Nagini next."_

_Lucius straightened up, and nodded firmly. "As you wish, my lord. The device will be yours before the week has ended." _

Harry gasped as the Jumper emitted a deafening scraping noise. He was thrown to the floor from the impact, and found himself entangled in a mass of limbs. Thankfully, Sheppard hadn't been hurt too badly, although the crash had thrown him backwards into the rear compartment. Teyla and McKay were part of the confusion, whereas Ford...

He didn't have time to think about what had just happened, and so quickly threw his Occlumency defences up once more, drowning out the flickering images. They weren't strong enough just yet, clearly. He looked around, and then froze, gaping. The Gate was _inside_ the Jumper. Ford must still have been in the front compartment.

"Uh... Rodney?"

Rodney groaned and looked up. "...oh, that's not good."

"You don't say!" Sheppard said irritably, rubbing his head in pain. "Where the hell is Ford?"

"He's... uh... he's in the event horizon," Rodney said blankly, staring at the puddle before them.

"I drifted off," Harry groaned, feeling sore and bruised. "What happened?"

"Weapons fire damaged one of the drive pods," Sheppard said. "It didn't retract, so we're..."

"We're stuck in the Gate," Harry finished. The four of them had now stood up.

"What does this mean?" Teyla asked, looking worried.

"It means we have thirty-eight minutes until the Gate shuts itself down," Rodney sighed. "When that happens, that part of the ship" – he indicated the straight line of the event horizon – "will be cut in two, and we'll be open to space."

"So we jump through the puddle and wait?" Sheppard asked, and Rodney scoffed.

"Hardly. An object can only pass through the Gate as a material whole. If this part of the Jumper is lost, everything in the forward section will just disintegrate."

Harry felt his heart lurch at that worrying bit of information. He reached for his wand, wondering if he knew any spell that might help. _Reducio, _maybe, he wondered, taking out his tool.

"If I shrink the ship, will it be able to pass through properly?" Harry asked, raising his eyebrows.

"Eh... I... well, I have no idea," Rodney conceded.

"McKay," Sheppard began with disdain.

"Well... I don't know! I haven't had time to study the effects of whatever voodoo crap he can cast on Ancient technology!" he replied irritably. He sighed and closed his eyes, thinking for a moment, but then opened them almost as quickly. "Look, major, without proper study of this ship, I'd have to reroute circuits from back here with_ maybe_ a one-in-a-million chance of getting it right."

"In other words: 'no chance'," Harry mumbled, and Rodney worryingly agreed.

"Pretty much. I'd say we've a better chance of trusting his..._ magic_," he said reluctantly.

"If Harry shrinks the ship, will that not affect us also?" Teyla asked, thinking on something they had not.

Sheppard looked back at Harry. "Well?"

"Eh... yeah, probably," Harry said sheepishly.

"You know how to undo it, right?"

Harry nodded, hesitant. "Yeah... I hope so."

"I'll take it," Sheppard said quickly, before Rodney could protest. He shut his eyes in expectancy, and Harry took a deep breath. He pointed his wand at the side of the Jumper, concentrating his mind and exerting his will.

"_Reducio!"_

In the most peculiar fashion he had ever seen, the ship itself seemed to ripple and transform, before beginning to slowly slide further and further into the event horizon. Unfortunately, Harry could only cast that spell once on any given object, so it wouldn't be useful for any stealth missions in the future if _this_ was merely the extent to which it shrunk.

There was also no noticeable effect on the people around him. Sheppard half-whooped and patted him on the back, almost knocking Harry to the ground. After a few seconds, they were engulfed by the Gate.

In the Atlantis Control Room, Dr. Weir was observing the most unusual thing she had ever seen. It looked like... well, she didn't quite know _how_ the hell to describe it. It seemed as though the front half of Major Sheppard's Jumper was proportionately larger than the rear half, giving the impression that the back was like a huge jet engine. She stared, wide-eyed, as the ship seemed to right itself again, before the hatch opened.

The Gate shut down.

Sheppard walked out, flanked by the rest of his team, with Harry and Dr. McKay helping along a dazed Lieutenant Ford.

"Major!" she called down to him. "You did say you were coming in hot...?"

Sheppard grinned up at her, while the Control Room looked on with interest.

"Nothing too bad, doctor. A few Wraith we had to take care of."

She blinked in alarm. "What?! Is anyone hurt? Ford...?"

Sheppard waved a hand dismissively. "We're all A-okay, doctor. Harry had an ingenious plan to fix the ship after we got stuck in the Gate."

"I... I saw that. Well, it _will_ be an interesting debriefing, won't it?"

"You can say that again," Sheppard replied. "One hell of a first excursion."

Harry smirked at that. It was an understatement. He mildly felt his scar throbbing, but cast it momentarily to one side. For now, he had to make sure Ford was okay, then find Rya, and then... later... he would try to think of what Lord Voldemort was planning...

**A:N - Thanks to anyone who pointed out that mistake regarding the Iratus bug. I'm very annoyed that I missed it... anyway, it's been fixed. Sorry for any confusion. **


End file.
